Promises of Protection
by Nimphmita
Summary: Sakura and Itachi are engaged when Itachi is given the mission to find and destroy Orochimaru. An encounter with his old friends of the Akatsuki, throws Sakura and Itachi's lifes in to a whirlwind spiral that threatens Sakura's life.
1. Mission started

Chapter One

"Life is the journey before death." She informed him.

"But life is also a destination itself Sakura." He shot back at her.

"Maybe but right now I can't see any destination for you, except death, if you continue on this journey Itachi." Sakura was almost shouting now.

"Stop trying to manage me Sakura!" Itachi now was shouting. "I have to do this and not you or Naruto or Kakashi, not even Sasuke can stop me!"

"Now you just sound like Sasuke." She whispered, shrinking back from him as he rose to his full height. "I love you Itachi, I can't lose you."

"I'm never sure if it's me you love or the fact that I'm Sasuke's brother." He towered above her looking down at her. She was older than she was when they first meet but she hadn't gained much height in the last ten years.

"I love you Itachi." She said firmly, commanding her voice to be steady even though she was shaking uncontrollably.

He finally gave in, he extended his hand and cupped her cheek pulling her chin up to look into her eyes. He lend down and kissed her gently on the mouth, then her fore head.

"I'm sorry Sakura, but I have to do this. Will you still be here when I get back?" he asked uncertainly, mostly because Sasuke had tried to steal her away from him before, reasons unknown, and had almost succeeded once before Itachi walked in and threw Sasuke up against a wall.

"Of course I will Itachi." She paused before continuing. "I guess it's no use asking if I can come with you huh?" He shook his head, fear suddenly glazing his eyes as he tough of the possible dangers that could befall her if she came. Even if he did survive he could bare anything to happen to her. "And also there no point in me begging you to stay?" Once again he shook his head. "Then I'll just stay here and wait for you."

A smile spread across his thin lips and suddenly he thought of his greatest fear. Sasuke. "Will Sasuke see you while I'm gone? Or Kakashi, or Naruto?" Other men in her life adding to his fear of losing her.

She looked at him warily and carefully choose her answer. "Itachi I have to see them, even if we aren't are team anymore we still do some missions together, and I'm their med-nin. You don't have to worry Itachi, Sasuke knows not to touch me unless in dire need for fear of you, and Naruto is now taken with Hinata, and Kakashi stays with his "Come Come Paradise" novels." A smile played at her lips as she remembered all the time she had seen Kakashi reading one of those books.

Relief poured over Itachi, he kissed Sakura once more and then jumped out the open window landing lightly on the roof of the house next door. He had a mission to complete, and if he did complete it, the result would be safety for Sakura and the child in her belly. His child.


	2. Not here for you

Chapter Two

He ran smoothly along the roofs of the Houses of Konoha with the image in his mind of his wedding to Sakura if he survived the task ahead of him. They weren't good to have right now, he couldn't be distracted from his mission like last time when he saved his brother, Sasuke from Orochimaru, and Sakura had insisted on coming. She got injured and Itachi had suddenly felt what it was like to feel fear for another person's life. He had saved her and Sasuke, but his heart was to be forever affected when he was faced with the possibility of losing her to Orochimaru's handy-work. He banished those thoughts from his mind and set it to his task at hand, to find Orochimaru, and kill him. He had failed last time he met Orochimaru because he was too focused on other things. But now reunited with Konoha, and almost a husband to a resident of Konoha, and also almost a father, the new Hokage, Naruto, who was still a child at heart Itachi thought, a smile playing at his lips, had told him not to fail, and to keep Sakura safe. And Itachi had every intention of completing both orders. Sakura was safe for now, and he hoped for everything he held dear that he would kill Orochimaru.

He landed lightly on the path that led out of Konoha. He looked back one last time and thought of all the people he was leaving, maybe never to see them again. Sakura and her swelling belly seemed to dominate his thoughts. It would have been so easy for him just to run back and fall into her arms and to forget all his troubles. But he knew that if he didn't get rid of the main source of his fears, Orochimaru, Sakura and the child wouldn't be safe for very long. His fears would hunt him down as they always have, and they would at first torment him, then destroy anything that gave him shelter or love, then eventually after he begged for death, they would drown him.

He turned around and with great will power turned all his thoughts onto Orochimaru and finding him. He had gotten some tips from Sasuke about weak points in Orochimaru but Itachi still had to be careful. This was one mission were he couldn't let himself think he was invincible. This time he couldn't throw caution in the wind. This time he had to watch his back.

He braced his foot onto a rock and pushed off throwing himself at a nearby tree. He jumped off from the base of the tree and landed on the branches of the tree opposite it. Then he made his way away from Konoha jumping from tree to tree, branch to branch.

Sakura looked out the window for about two hours after Itachi had left. Until she heard a knock at her front door. She ran to the door thinking it would be Itachi, until she remembered he never bothered to use the door when it concerned her. She opened the door cautiously to find Sasuke looking at her, with sadness in his eyes.

"Sasuke-kun? What's wrong?" She asked warily.

"Sakura, is Itachi gone yet?" He asked

"Yes." She answered, wondering why he was here and asking about his brother. "Why are you here Sasuke?" She asked

"Can I come in?" Sasuke asked hopefully.

"No, you know you can't Sasuke." She said unsteadily

"Sakura please." He begged, it looked like he was almost ready to get onto his knees and grovel if he had to.

"No! Sasuke you've already tried this and last time Itachi almost killed you. You know coming here is a death wish for you." She said starting to close the door. Sasuke didn't stop her. He just said;

"I wasn't here for you."

Sakura stopped and opened the door once again looking right into his eyes. Confusion came into her eyes as she saw that his eyes were glazed in pain. Just then she saw the blood dripping down his right arm.

"What happened?"


	3. Healing body and mind

Chapter Three

Not much later Sasuke was sitting on Sakura's couch while she made an infusion to take away the pain that she was going to inflict on him. She pulled the needle out of the ice bucket and got some flesh wire to stitch up Sasuke wound. It was a small cut but it was deep and it would add to countless scars he already had. Sitting down next to him, Sakura spread some for the paste infusion onto his would numbing the skin around it. Pushing the needle into his skin she made loose stitches just to hole the skin together so she could heal it. She put her hand over the wound and a green light came from her finger tips. Slowly the skin melded together again leaving only a faint scar.

Sakura sighed and looked at Sasuke, his eyes were glazed as thought he wasn't really all there.

"Ok Sasuke." She said pulling him out of his daydream. "Now tell me what happened?"

Sasuke seemed like he was deciding if it was safe to tell her or not. He must have decided it was because after a wile he told her.

"I'm not really sure what happened. I was going to see Naruto to find out if there was anything I could do, and next thing I know is that I'm being thrown to the ground and a kunai is sticking in my arm. But that's all that happened. Whoever it was just ran away." He sad with a shrug. He leaned his head back onto the couch and closed his eyes. He opened them again and looked at his hand, as though he was trying to see if the cursed seal had come back. Itachi had made Orochimaru take it back, but Sasuke always missed the surge of power it had given him. But that wasn't why he was looking so intently at it now, he was looking for the burn that he got when he tried to steady himself on a beacon when he was attacked.

"I healed the burn too." Sakura said as if reading his mind. "I've gotten better at moving my charka away from the place where my hand is." She looked so proud of herself.

'She has every right to be,' Sasuke thought, 'about to become my brother's wife, and have a child,' his eyes wandered to her belly, 'also soon to become the best med-nin there ever was.' He looked back into here eyes and took old of her hand, fear suddenly crossed her face. "Don't worry Sakura, I know my boundaries when it comes to you." She relaxed and held his hand tightly.

She looked at the clock when it struck ten o'clock. "You should go Sasuke. Kakashi will be here soon to check up on me."

Sasuke pulled Sakura into a hug, "Keep Itachi's baby safe Sakura." There was only brotherly love in that hug, Sasuke knew that he had thrown away any chance with her, she was his brother's and he felt no jealousy about it. He let her go and got up. Sakura looked at him and knew he wasn't a danger anymore. "Bye." Sasuke said walking over to the door. He opened the door to come face-to-face with Kakashi.

"Sasuke." Kakashi said politely.

"Kakashi." Sasuke replied with a slight hint of fear in his voice. He ducked under Kakashi's arm and darted down the hall way.

"Sakura." Kakashi said to her his uncovered eyes looking at her. She knew he was smiling and could guess why.

"Kakashi. You were the one who attacked him weren't you?" She asked.

He nodded slightly, "Thought he'd go to you and get you to heal him. Looks like I was right. Sort things out I hear."

"You were listening!" Sakura started to laugh and got up to hug Kakashi.

"You'll get used to it Sakura." He hugged her back and then made her sit down again. He placed his hands onto her bell and felt to see how much the baby had grown. "So how's the baby coming along?"

"Fine. Get morning sickness now, and huge cravings, but otherwise the baby and I are fine." She said thinking of how she had had to run of to the bathroom when Itachi had made eggs that morning. "Anything interesting happen in the meeting today?" She asked wondering what she had missed because of not being able to attend. Itachi's orders.

"No not really. Mostly that we need more people to train as med-nins. Shows how much we need you back huh?" He said laughing with her.

"Well Kakashi as much as I hate to say this but I need to get some sleep. I didn't get enough last night. I was eating too much. The cravings thing." She added when Kakashi looked at her oddly. "So if you don't mind, do you think you could leave? Sorry if this seems rude or anything."

"Not at all Sakura. You need rest, I understand entirely. Sleep well." He kissed her on the fore head and left. It wasn't long before the slave Kakashi had put on belly worked it magic and she fell asleep on the couch. Also taking away most of her cravings and settling her stomach so morning sickness wouldn't affect her so much the next morning. Kakashi planned to use that on her as often as he could. 'She needs this so don't you dare feel guilty about it.' He though to himself.

Itachi came to a cave and decided that he would sleep here tonight. He needed sleep. Sakura had kept him awake a lot last night, it seemed like she was going to eat everything they had. Plus the morning sickness she had gotten when he tried to cook her breakfast. A fond smile played at his lips, and his heart longed to go back and fall into her arms. The only thing that kept him going was the thought that he would lose her if he didn't complete what he had set out to do.


	4. The reason

Chapter Four

Itachi woke with a start as he heard a stick snap from someone stepping on it somewhere. Quickly he jumped up and kunai in hand his eyes turned red. He'd find whoever it was with his sharingan. He moved to the mouth of the cave and looked around himself. He started to smile because he suddenly knew who it was the stepped on the stick.

"You can come out now Kakashi." He said to a tree.

Kakashi suddenly jumped down and scoffed at Itachi. "How is that you always know that I'm here?" He asked.

"My sharingan."

"Of course Itachi. Why do I keep forgetting when you tell me every time I see you?"

"Well then this time you should actually remember as I don't plan on repeating myself about again if I have told you so many times." He look closely at Kakashi and asked him, "Did you go to see Sakura?"

Kakashi nodded and replied, "I rubbed her belly with a cream that will help with her cravings and morning sickness. Plus she's most likely asleep on the couch right now."

"Good. Thank you Kakashi."

"By the way Sasuke was there when I got there."

"Where?"

"At your house. He was with Sakura."

"WHAT!!!!!?"

"Don't worry nothing happened Itachi. Actually he was there on my doing."

"What?" Itachi asked meekly.

"I attacked him and injured his arm pretty badly. He went to get healed by Sakura. I hoped they would talk out their issues and they did. Sasuke is going to leave her alone about you and only see her when he needs to or when they go on a mission together. Which won't be until Sakura has the baby."

Itachi let out a long breath which he didn't know he had been holding. "Thank you again Kakashi."

"Your welcome." Kakashi said his uncovered eye showing that he was smiling. "So to get to the reason why I followed you. Naruto told me to ask you if, and these are his exact words, if I could be of any assistance." Kakashi said with a hint of laughter in his voice.

Itachi turned away from him and smiled. Naruto was worried that Itachi wouldn't come back with out help. He was worried about Sakura, and how much hurt her heart could take. Itachi turned back to Kakashi and said simply "There is only one thing I'd like you to do for me."

"Name it Itachi."

"Take care of Sakura. You can't help me on this mission. I need to do this alone."

"May I ask why you choose to do this mission when you have a future wife and a baby on the way at home?" Kakashi said. "Are you really doing this to avenge your brother?"

Itachi decided that it was time he told Kakashi the truth. "Do you remember when I saved Sasuke from Orochimaru?" Kakashi nodded. "Well Sakura came with me and Naruto that time. Now you know that Sakura has an inner self." Once again Kakashi nodded. "Well Sakura inner had gotten really pissed at one point and the "outer" or real Sakura was what you could say asleep. Orochimaru saw this and used it against Sakura. Almost killing her. I don't exactly know how all I remember is her screaming. That was the first time I ever feared for someone else's life. Naruto got to her before me and said something in her ear. I don't know what, but it might just have saved her. Because she stopped screaming straight away. Then she and Naruto join hands and Naruto's nine tails fire and Sakura's healing light came from their hands which then built a cage type thing around Orochimaru. That's how we got Sasuke back." Kakashi again nodded, as this new information was told to him. "I'm doing this mission to get back at Orochimaru for whatever he did to Sakura. When we got out of there and made camp for the first night we had to tie Sasuke up so he couldn't get away. I also had to break one of his arms so he couldn't form hand seals. But that night I cried Kakashi, for the first time in my life I cried, and it was Sakura that found me. We talked and she comforted me, and I told her about why I was crying. That when she was hurting I wanted to die to save her. Every night on the way back to Konoha, she and I talked. The day we got back to Konoha we left Sasuke at the hospital, and Sakura invited me back to her place. She asked me to tell her exactly what had happened to her in Orochimaru lair, because she couldn't remember. So I told her all I could. Exactly what I told you. After that she kept inviting me around."

"And then you two fell in love. Or at least she fell in love with you. You already loved her. Am I right?" Kakashi said. Itachi just nodded.

"Please Kakashi. Just look out for her. I'd die if something happened to her." Itachi begged.

"I'll take care of her Itachi. You just take care of yourself. Because if you don't come back she'll die. She's already had too much heartache."

Itachi nodded. He stared at the empty space where Kakashi had been. Kakashi had already headed back to Konoha. He and Itachi never said goodbye. Itachi turned back to the cave and went back inside for a bit more sleep, though he knew he'd be awake for the rest of the night.


	5. Morning sickness

Chapter Five

Kakashi thought he knew what Naruto had said to Sakura in Orochimaru lair but he had to make sure. He had said to Itachi that he would take care of Sakura and he would, he never went against his word, but he had to know what Naruto said to Sakura incase anything like that ever happened again. Once he found out what it was he would track down Itachi and tell him about, just to fill in the missing puzzle to what happened with Sakura. Kakashi could only remember one time where something like that had happened before. It was during Sakura's, Naruto's, and Sasuke's first chunin exam. Sakura was fighting against her old friend Ino, and Ino had used mind control jujitsu, where Sakura was out of control of her body, but her inner self was still working. Though it had only really been "unleashed" when Naruto called out to her. Naruto had shouted out to Sakura telling her that she was better than Ino the "Sasuke obsessed freak". Now Kakashi guessed that Naruto had said pretty much the same thing to Sakura in Orochimaru's lair but replaced "Sasuke obsessed freak" with maybe "Snake tongued freak". But now Kakashi would find out what kind of connection Naruto has with Sakura.

Sakura woke in the morning being shaken slightly by Naruto. Her eyes shot wide open and she sat up quickly, too quickly, for she had to lean back again.

"Shhh, Sakura-chan you don't have to compose yourself around me. Not in the delicate position you're in." Naruto said with a smile. Sakura's eyes narrowed to dangerous slits as Naruto referred to her pregnancy as a "delicate position".

Sakura looked around herself to try and figure out where she was. She saw Kakashi in the corner looking at her, with concern in his uncovered eye. She found out she was still in the clothes she was wearing yesterday and on the couch in the lounge room. She looked back at Naruto and saw that his smile was gone and the same type of concern was in his eyes that was in Kakashi's eye.

**What the hell is going on here?**

_Great so now you're up too?_

**What not happy to hear from me Sakura?**

_I thought I'd at least get another week of silence from you_

**Sorry to disappoint**

_What ever Inner just shut up while I talk to these guys will you?_

**No problem**

"Naruto? Kakashi? What's wrong?" Sakura asked glancing from face to face.

"It's about Itachi, Sakura-chan." Naruto said after a pause.

"What?! What's wrong?! Did something go wrong?" Sakura felt like she had to get to the bathroom, and quickly.

**Damn morning sickness!**

_SHUT UP!!!!!_

"No nothing's wrong Sakura." Kakashi said trying to calm Sakura's sudden outburst.

Now Sakura knew she had to go to the bathroom. "Well that's a relief but I am sorry but I find my… oh damn this I need to go to the bathroom."

"Are you alright Sakura-chan?" Naruto asked.

**No you idiot! If you still haven't noticed I'm pregnant!**

_I SAID SHUT UP!!!!!!!_

**Ok, ok don't have a heart attack!**

"No Naruto I need to be sick. Morning sickness stuff." With that she got up and walk quickly to the bathroom locking the door behind her. The two men shifted uncomfortably as they listened to her retching sounds from the other side of the door.

"Still think it's a good idea to tell her that he risking his life for her, after the reaction she just had to thinking he might be hurt?" Kakashi asked Naruto.

"No, but we have to." Naruto replied.


	6. Gone

Chapter Six

Itachi sat looking in the direction he had come from wondering if Sakura was safe and if Kakashi had told her about why Itachi was really taking on this mission. He knew it would hurt her, not why it would, but it would. Also he wondered if Kakashi would tell Naruto, or Sasuke. Itachi suddenly shuddered with fear remembering the time he had walked in on Sasuke and Sakura about to kiss. Itachi was so filed with rage that he had slammed his little brother up against a wall shouting at Sakura. He would never forget the guilt, and pain in her eyes. She had explained what had happened, though he believed her he still mistrusted his brother. In fact he no longer called Sasuke his little brother. Just Sasuke. Apparently Sasuke had told Sakura that Itachi had run off with another girl, someone more "suited" to Itachi's taste. Sakura had been heart broken and Sasuke had comforted her. To well. For he had almost won her heart again. That was until Itachi decided to see Sakura to try a sooth out a fight they had had earlier that day.

Itachi sighed and slowly stood up. He turned around, so his back was facing the way to Konoha, and leaping back up into the trees he jumped from branch to branch making his way closer to where he last knew Orochimaru was hiding. Forcing fear out of his mind.

Sakura looked out the window trying to absorb what Naruto and Kakashi had just said. Itachi was putting his life in danger just to protect her. Not for revenge, but because he loved her so much. She felt like she was going to be sick again.

_How could he?_

**You know very well how**

_Well so do you!_

**Calm down Sakura. Remember we're not even out of the first trimester yet**

_I know. I have to be careful_

"Sakura-chan, are you all right?" Naruto asked worriedly.

Sakura shook her head and pressed two fingers to her mouth continuing to stare out the window. She didn't even notice Kakashi come up behind her until he touched her shoulder. She suddenly let out a loud sob and Kakashi pulled her around gently embracing her in a comforting hug. He just held her and let her cry on his shoulder. Naruto also placed a hand on her shoulder. After she had drenched Kakashi shoulder she turned round and buried her face into Naruto's shoulder, and like Kakashi he just let her cry.

**I thought you weren't going to cry anymore Sakura**

_Oh, shut up, Inner! You're crying too!_

All four shoulders and dry red eyes later, Sakura stopped crying. "Sorry Naruto, Kakashi. I didn't mean to cry so much."

The two men just looked at her and smiled weakly. Hinata was going to ask Naruto a lot of question about his tear stained robes and Kakashi was in the free as his novels, well, they didn't speak to him. At least not verbally.

"It's alright Sakura. Don't worry about it. You have every right to cry. Plus I heard all women in their first trimester are moody." Naruto said.

Sakura smiled weakly and then said to the men that she needed to be alone to gather her thoughts. They understood and took their leave. Outside they look at eachother with concern in their eyes, or really in Naruto's eyes and Kakashi eye.

"Do you think she'll be alright?" Kakashi asked.

Naruto shook his head slowly. "No. I want as many med-ninja as we can spare to keep a 24 hour watch on Sakura. Itachi wants us to keep her safe, and by god we will. And get Tusande to check in on Sakura every hour. At least till the first trimester of her pregnancy is over."

Kakashi nodded and went off in search of Tusande. He knew it would be difficult to get med-nins to look out for Sakura, as most of them were still in training or to busy help the wounded from Orochimaru's last attack on Konoha. But they would try. He knew they would. The important thing was to keep the future wife of their maybe saviour safe. Right no that was all they could do for Itachi and Sakura.

Coming to the entrance of the last known whereabouts of Orochimaru, Itachi almost cried in anger to find he was no longer there.

"Well Itachi you can't really expect him to stay in one place. Especially when he needs to find another body puppet, and soon." He said to himself ruefully. "Too bad. I'd really hoped he'd be here." Itachi looked around him and started to walk further into the cave. Hoping he'd find something that would lead him to where Orochimaru had relocated to.

Itachi tripped over something, not that he usually tripped over things. It was a trunk, locked and small. Itachi looked wearily at it and finally decided that he would open it but not in here. He tried to pick it up, but found out that it was heavier than he thought it would be. So Itachi started to drag and even tried to push the trunk. He managed to get it to the entrance of the cave before e had to stop to get a breather. "I remember a time Itachi when you could have done this without a sweat. God you sure let yourself go in the last five years. Should've trained more with the other jounin." Itachi sighed and sat next to the trunk. Though as soon as he let himself relax Sakura came into his mind. Itachi's teeth clenched and instantly tried to think of something else. "Come on old boy you can't keep doing this. Until this is done you have to stop thinking about her."

Itachi sighed again. 'This is not going to be easy Itachi,' he thought.


	7. The offer

Chapter Seven

"Why the hell isn't this… BOX opening!" Itachi half screamed into the cave. He had been trying for the last hour with every kind of box opening jitsu he could think of.

"It won't open because of the type of lock." Said a deep voice from behind Itachi.

"Hallo Kisame. I wondered when you'd bother to come out and say you were here." Itachi said turning around to face his old Akatsuki team mate.

"Still haven't lost your touch in knowing when you were being watched."

"Well with you, you could burn a hole into someone's back, you just keep staring at them so it's no wonder that I knew you were there."

Kisame scowled at him. "And you're still as smug as you always were."

"Which is just as well otherwise I wouldn't be were I am today."

"And just where are you Itachi. Our leader wasn't please to find you gone one morning. But we knew better than to try to kill you. Though you seem weaker than the last time I saw you."

Itachi suddenly felt a quick flash of fear in his gut. Which he quickly hid with a smirk. "I was hunting Orochimaru. Still am actually."

"What, he too quick for you? I remember when he was still part of the Akatsuki you challenge him just because you were the only person who could defeat him. Or did a pink haired kunoichi soften you up to much, hm?" Kisame immediately regretted his words because suddenly Itachi's fist had slammed into his eye. 'That's gonna bruise' Kisame thought to himself after he hit the ground. Itachi may have lost some stamina but not an ounce of his strength. "Hit a nerve did I Itachi?" Once again Kisame regretted his words, but this time Itachi's fist hit Kisame square in the jaw.

"I'd shut up from now on if I were you Kisame-kun, yeah." A blond girl-looking Akatsuki cloak wearing person said dropping out of a tree.

"Shut up Deidara. You weren't meant to follow me."

"Oh so because I look like a girl I have to stay at headquarters, yeah?"

"You have to stay at headquarters because you are a girl." Kisame once again regretted his words, though it was Deidara who hit him this time, in the other eye.

"Not very popular today are we Kisame." Itachi said smoothly.

"Shut up! He just can't take a joke."

"So you going to tell me what's in this box or what?" Itachi asked turning to Deidara.

"It's your Akatsuki cloak, and also one for Sakura-chan, since she's pregnant our leader is willing to accept her, yeah." Deidara answered.

"Only because she pregnant?" Itachi said warily.

"Also because she one hell of a healer, yeah. But you knew I was going to say than didn't you? Yeah?"

"What ever Deidara. She's not joining and I'm not coming back."

"We could help you get Orochimaru, Itachi." Kisame said before Deidara could.

"If I remember correctly, the last time you tried to help me kill Orochimaru he got away more times than we got to fight with him."

"So we had a few miscalculations, yeah."

"So what, everyone makes mistakes Itachi."

"Not that many, Sasori." Itachi said greeting the last speaker.

"Sasori-danna!" Deidara squealed jumping on to his friend. Sasori pushed him off smoothly and turned to face Itachi again.

"You and your future wife would be a great gain for the Akatsuki. It would give us the power we need to finally defeat Orochimaru." Sasori said.

"No Sasori."

"Please Itachi, yeah." Deidara piped in with his best puppy dog eyes ever.

There was a long pause as Itachi looked from member to member, before he said "Open the box."

Sasori walked over to the box smoothly. He bend down and unlocked it quickly. He stepped back as Itachi stepped forward, opened the lid and pulled out his old Akatsuki cloak and a slightly smaller one which he guessed was for Sakura. He just stared at them for about five minutes before he turned to face Sasori. "I'm going to go back to Konoha and talk it over with Sakura. I'll meet you back here in a week with our decision." Folding the cloaks and placing them in his bag he quickly got out of there leaving them to try and figure out what Sakura's and his decision would be.

"Think he'll say yes, Sasori?" Kisame asked.

"Only if the kunoichi says yes. But if he wants it bad enough…" Sasori trailed off.

"Think he'll be able to convince her, yeah, Sasori-danna?"

"Maybe Deidara, maybe. We'll just have to come back here in a week's time." With that he disappeared in a cloud off smoke, Kisame and Deidara followed suit.

A bit further away Itachi was trying to figure out what he would say to Naruto about why he came back without Orochimaru's head on a silver platter. 'At least I'll be able to see Sakura' he thought.


	8. Informing

Chapter eight

Sakura hadn't got any sleep that night, mostly because a med-nin had come in to check up on her every hour. She was lying on her bed the moment Itachi came back. She jumped when the door slammed open and Itachi's voice boomed out her name. She sat up quickly and said "Itachi?"

Her bedroom door opened and there he was, Itachi, his face alight when he saw her. He quickly crossed the room and sat next to her on the bed gathering her into his arms. He buried his face into her hair as she nuzzled her face into the crook of his neck her arms wound around his waist. He gripped her tight as she started to cry neither of them noticing Kakashi and Naruto standing in their lounge room knowing that it would be unwise to interrupt them. Itachi drew back from Sakura a little bit, but their faces were still fairly close, their noses touching. Sakura's cheeks were wet from her crying and Itachi wiped them dry with his sleeve. Itachi kissed Sakura passionately before pulling her into a warm embrace again. There was no need for words between them, they were just glad to be together again. Eventually they pulled apart and made their way into the lounge room to greet Kakashi and Naruto, who were now joined by Sasuke. Sakura never left Itachi's side, his arm around her shoulders and her arm around his waist while her other hand clutched at his vest.

Naruto decided to ask the blunt question. "So what happened?"

"I didn't find him but some of my old team mates from the Akatsuki met up with me."

Sakura suddenly looked into Itachi's face, he looked back a stared into her eyes. She knew they had offered for him to come back, but kept silent.

"And?" Sasuke now spoke.

"And they said that I could come back, and they'd help me kill Orochimaru. I said no." Sakura knew he was lying but she also knew he hadn't said yes. "That's all. In a week's time I'll go again and try to find Orochimaru, though this time I want Sasuke with me."

Naruto looked at Sasuke and Sasuke nodded in assent. "I'll go, as long as you can convince me this isn't just because you want to get me away from Sakura."

Itachi scowled at him, his hand tightened on Sakura's shoulder. Sakura looked from brother to brother hoping nothing bad would happen. "If by what Kakashi told me is true, my request has nothing to do with getting you away from Sakura."

"And what did Kakashi tell you?"

"Sasuke don't make this difficult please." Kakashi and Naruto said simultaneously.

Sasuke shut up and nodded again to say that he would go with Itachi.

"Now if you don't mind I would like some time alone with Sakura." Itachi said almost dangerously.

The three other men nodded and walked out closing the door behind them.

Itachi and Sakura spun around at the same time hugging again as if nothing could pull them apart. "What did the Akatsuki really say to Itachi?"

Itachi sighed but still didn't let go of her. "The said I could come back and you could join." Sakura pulled back a little to look into his eyes, she knew he wasn't lying this time. They moved to sit on the couch Sakura astride Itachi's lap, her arms around his neck, his around her waist. "They also gave me two Akatsuki cloaks, one for me and one for you. They said that we would be a great gain for them. Bring in enough power to finally defeat Orochimaru. Also they would protect you."

"Wait you want to go back? And bring me into it as well?" Sakura asked.

"No, I don't want to go back. Especially if it means leaving you. And I don't want to drag you into it because I don't want to take you away from all your family. But we have a week to talk about it. Then I have to go and meet them again and tell of our decision."

Sakura just looked at him for a moment. "Alright we'll talk about this. Talk about the pros and the cons. But we'll talk tomorrow. Today and tonight all I want is you." A seductive smile playing on her lips.

Itachi picked her up in bride style and carried her off to their bedroom, only coming back out to lock their front door, then heading back closing the bedroom door behind him.


	9. Pro's and Con's

Chapter Nine

The next morning Sakura had managed to eat four pieces of toast, which is a lot for a non pregnant woman but only half of what a pregnant woman who didn't have morning sickness would eat, and Itachi had just gotten back from writing a formal report for the Hokage about what happened with the Akatsuki. Now he and Sakura were sitting at the table Itachi writing out the pros for joining the Akatsuki, because Sakura couldn't think of any, And Sakura writing out the cons for joining the Akatsuki, because she had more ideas than Itachi.

"Pro?"

"They'll keep you and the baby safe. Con?"

"I'll have to turn my back on all my friends and family. Pro?"

"We'll be able to finally defeat Orochimaru. Con?"

"There is still only a slight possibility that we won't be able to. Pro?"

"I'll be able to train properly again. Although I could do that here. Con?"

"We'll get married without my family being there unless we get married in the next six days, I'll have to give birth in a cave with only men around me to help, plus we'll bring a little boy or girl up in a cave always having to run away from ANBU. Pro?"

"We still be able to live here."

"What?"

"Just because we'd be Akatsuki doesn't mean we'd have to stay with them forever. Only till after Orochimaru is dead. We'd just have to keep it a secret from Konoha till then. Con?"

"That's all I came up with. Any more pros?"

"Nope." Itachi said looking intensely at Sakura. It was true that he did kinda of want to go back to the Akatsuki. But most of him was set firm on the fact that he would never leave Sakura. But if she would agree to join even if it was till Orochimaru was dead, they would actually have a greater probability of killing Orochimaru. Sakura opened her mouth as if to say something but closed it again. "Sakura…" Itachi started.

"Hm?"

"Whatever you decide, if you want to join or if you don't, I'm not going to leave you. Whatever you decide I'll stick by you. I mean that."

Sakura smiled. "Thank you Itachi."

"You don't have to decide today. We still have six days before we have to come up with an answer." Itachi said and could see instantly Sakura seemed more relaxed.

"Do you think he was telling the truth?"

"Who?"

"Itachi?"

"About what?"

"The Akatsuki?!" Sasuke was starting getting impatient with Naruto.

"Nope."

"Nope what?"

"I don't think he wasn't telling the truth."

"Double negative Naruto."

"Fine Sasuke. Yes I think he was telling the truth because you may not have noticed it yet but Itachi is positively smitten when it comes to Sakura and he wouldn't leave her for anything. Also he wouldn't let anyone hurt her, as you found out a year ago when Itachi threw you up against a wall." Naruto said leaning back in his chair having given up on trying to write anything while Sasuke was in the room.

"Will no one let me forget that?! I made a mistake, o.k. and I learned from it. Geez." Sasuke said throwing his hands up in the air.

"Alright we'll let you forget if you stop trying to make it seem like Itachi is hiding something. Every week you come in here with something new that you hope will get him out of the way. To bad you always seem to forget that Sakura is still a med-nin and actually lives with Itachi, and he never keeps secrets from her. And whenever we ask her about whatever it is that you came up with she denies it, and as you know she is a very bad liar. No wonder she doesn't love you anymore. You're lucky she likes you as a friend still." Naruto said smile at Sasuke's uneasiness at the truth in Naruto's words. "Look you talk out your issues with Sakura, maybe it's time to talk them out with Itachi. I mean how much worse could your relationship get with him?"

"You know Naruto, I don't think anyone noticed how much you matured since the time we became genin."

Naruto smiled and though to himself 'I may have matured when it come to relationships, but just wait till we go on a mission together again.' Sasuke was about to leave when Naruto remembered something. "Oh, and Sasuke!"

"Hm?"

"Be nice when you and Itachi leave next week."

"Whatever." with that Sasuke left and Naruto got back to writing out letters to the other Kages, informing them that the Akatsuki was moving again, and looking for power.


	10. The wedding

Chapter ten

**Warning: contains lemon**

------------------------------------

It had been five days since Itachi returned from his attempt on finding Orochimaru. And now finally Sakura and Itachi we're going to get married. Sakura sighed as she looked at herself in the mirror dressed in her white wedding dress. It had no selves, and a cord tighten under her breasts, before the actually dress fanned out down to her ankles. She had small white slippers on. Her pink hair which she had let grow a little bit was tied up in a top knot on her head, a small diamond tiara help hold it up in place. She was just placing the veil over her face when Kakashi knocked on the door. He was going to play the part of her father and give her away as her father had died a few years earlier.

"Come in." Sakura called turning around to face the door.

Kakashi whistled and Sakura blushed. "You look beautiful Sakura. Itachi is a very lucky man today. And I believe every man in Konoha will be thinking the exact same thing."

"I'm a very lucky woman Kakashi. I can't believe this is finally happening. The last four days of planning seemed to take forever. Sure this wedding is rushed, but it just feels so… right."

"I know what you mean Sakura. Every one of your friends thought this day would never come." Kakashi walked over to her and took hold of her hand, leading her out of the room and in to the wedding tent. Sakura could hear all the guests outside and she even heard someone say "Itachi should stop pacing, Sakura will think he's getting cold feet." Sakura could only smile at this. She knew that Itachi was nervous, which was good because she was too.

Then the bridal music started to play and Kakashi gave Sakura one last hug as her brides maids walked in, Ino, Hinata, Tenten, and Temari, all looked beautiful in the lilac dresses and the pink roses in their hair. Sakura took Kakashi's hand and Ino, Hinata, Tenten, and Temari opened the ten walking out and up the aisle to stand opposite to Itachi's best men, which included, Sasuke (who was reluctant about it), Shikamaru, Neji, Naruto, and even Rock Lee.

Itachi's breath caught in his throat as Sakura stepped out of the tent lead by Kakashi. 'She looks so beautiful' he thought, as well as everyone else who was there. A silence passed over the guests accompanied by the band in the background. As Sakura made her way up the aisle her being lit up with each step till she thought she'd burst from all the happiness and love in her. She looked up at Itachi as he extended his hand, and Kakashi kissed her on the cheek though her veil, placing her hand in Itachi's. Standing next to Itachi all her attention focused on the vicar, she couldn't help but look at Itachi as he squeezed her hand.

**He is so sexy! Especially in that suit**

_Don't I know it. We are so lucky inner_

**Don't we know it**

_Now I just wish the vicar would hurry up and get to the 'I do' part_

**You're telling me!**

Itachi looked back at her all of his love shining from his eyes, he had given up on trying to hide his emotions when he was around her.

Both Itachi and Sakura exchanged vows and placed each other's rings on the other's third finger on the left hand. When Itachi was told that he could kiss the bride, he lifted Sakura's veil as if it were made of glass. He placed it behind her head, and place on hand on her cheek lifting her face to his. Slowly he lowered his lips to hers as she wound her arms around his neck. Most of the guys and some of the girls turned their heads as Itachi's hands tightened around Sakura's waist, and he deepened the kiss. When they finally pulled apart the crowd thundered with applause. Sakura threw the bouquet into the crowd and it was Ino who caught it, who then ran up to Shikamaru as if expecting him to propose to her then and there. "Troublesome." Came Shikamaru's familiar reply.

Running back down the aisle Itachi and Sakura made their way to the wedding feast. Impatient for it to be over so they could have some alone time together (so really it should be together time). After the toasts where made to the newly weds, Sakura favourite song, 'Angel' By Sarah McLachlan, started to play, and she managed to convince Itachi to dance with her. Sakura linked her fingers behind Itachi's neck, and his hand clasped behind her back sitting on he waist. Naturally Itachi led. They continued to dance to the next too songs, and Sakura laid her head on Itachi's chest, his arms entwined around her back, His lips settled on her hair. Eventually when the music ended and all of the guest left and other people came in to clean up, Itachi and Sakura made their way to their home, laughing as Itachi scooped Sakura into his arms bridal style, resting her on one knee so he could open the door. He carried her in and place her back on her feet.

"You're finally mine." Sakura whispered against his lips.

"Hm. And you're mine." He started to undress her remembering that he already locked the door. He started to unzip her dress when she stilled his hands. She pushed his jacket off his shoulders and threw it onto a chair next to them. Then she untied his tie letting that fall onto the floor. She unbuttoned his shirt as he shrugged out of it, also letting that fall to the floor. Sakura stepped back a little just to look at him. Then he started again at unzipping her dress. This time she didn't stop him. As it fell to the floor Sakura steeped out of it her breasts free Itachi pulled her close to him to feel her naked torso against his equally as naked torso. They made their way to the bedroom, as Itachi whispered silken promises into her ear, making her shiver with desire. She almost laughed out loud to think that although they'd slept together before she felt as if this was going to be her first time with him. Itachi felt the same way. Closing the door behind them Itachi picked Sakura up again laying her down on the bed. He undid his trousers and moved his almost naked body over her's making her shudder. Itachi's hand stroked to outside of her breast and she gasped in a small breath, her hands making trails of heat on his back. He smiled down at her.

"I love you, Itachi." Sakura said breathlessly.

"I love you too, Mrs Uchiha."

"I adore hearing you say that."

"What? I love you, or Mrs Uchiha?"

"Both."

Itachi leaned down and moved his mouth to just next to her ear, as he whisper the words again, making grasp tighter at his back. Itachi wasted no more time. Removing her panties and his boxers he rubbed his whole body length over her's before he entered her.

Later when Sakura and Itachi were lying together naked and covered in their afterglow, they made their decision about the Akatsuki.


	11. Getting there

Chapter Eleven

Two days later Itachi found himself with Sasuke at the gates of Konoha. He and Sakura were hugging for the last time before he and Sasuke set out to find Orochimaru. To bad Itachi had to try and lose him so he could go and talk to the Akatsuki. But talk to them he must because Sakura had insisted that he tell them of their decision. Even if they weren't totally happy about it.

"And you're leaving the day I start my second trimester." Sakura teased.

Itachi smiled and dropped a kiss on her nose. "Well I'll be back before you enter the last trimester. I'm promise." He hugged her one more time, before turning to face Sasuke, who was joking with Naruto by pretending to sick by sticking a finger in his mouth while pretending to gag. He was rewarded by Itachi and Kakashi hitting over the head at the same time, Naruto was hit as well but by Sakura. Both he and Sasuke sat on the ground rubbing their heads. Though Sasuke's head hurt more Sakura had one hell of punch.

"Remember Sasuke. Be nice." Kakashi emphasized to both Sasuke and Itachi.

Sasuke mumbled something under his breath that added to another hit on the head by Sakura, almost knocking him out.

"Owww! SAKURA!"

"Don't you shout at me Sasuke!"

Itachi smirked. Then picking Sasuke up by the collar, Itachi set him on his feet giving him a slight push towards the way they were headed. He kissed Sakura on the forehead then headed after Sasuke himself. Pausing to quickly ask a question to Naruto. Sasuke in frustration sat back down on the ground pouting.

"What is it Itachi?"

"Naruto, what did you say to Sakura that day in Orochimaru's lair?" Itachi asked him.

"It doesn't matter. It won't work anymore." Naruto answered with a frown.

"Why not?"

"Because you have to speak to her inner self and then have to talk about her hearts deepest desire at that moment in time."

"What did you say to her?" Itachi asked again. He needed to know.

"Back then, her hearts deepest desire was to save Sasuke. So they could finally start a life together. Sorry." Naruto said as he saw Itachi quickly glance at Sakura who was now trying to get Sasuke to stop acting like a baby. "All I said was that if she just gave into the pain, that life could never happen. Ironic, huh? That life never will happen anyway." Naruto regretted making that joke because Itachi looked kinda sick.

"She really wanted a life with him?"

"She did then. She has a life with you now. That was her deepest desire a few days ago. Now, I think it's to keep you and the baby safe." Naruto touched Itachi's shoulder so Itachi would look at him in the eyes. "Remember, if anything like what happened then happens again, you have to speak to her inner self. Sakura's outer self will be in to much pain to hear. Her inner will take over to help. It doesn't feel the pain like the outer does."

"Thanks Naruto." Itachi said walking over to Sasuke now picking him up and throwing him over his shoulder. Walking down the path, Sasuke protesting by thrashing about trying to escape Itachi's grasp, leaving Sakura, Kakashi, and Naruto in laughing fits.

As Sakura watched her husband walk away she wondered if they had made the right decision about the Akatsuki's offer. She hoped beyond hope they had. She quickly forgot about her doubt when Naruto said that he was buying them a bowl of ramen.

_We can only live like this for so long_

**And now we sleep to bring a new day forward**

_And end up at the destination where we belong  
_  
**The four of us will travel that path**

_Yes, we will inner_

**Itachi, the baby, and us**

_Nothing will stop us. We can't regret our decisions_

"Sakura-chan? Are you alright?"

"Yes Naruto, I'm fine. So you're buying right?"

Itachi finally set Sasuke back on his feet.

"What did you do that for?" Sasuke asked indignantly.

"Did what?"

"Humiliate me like that?"

"You were humiliating yourself by acting like a cry baby."

"I was not."

"You were."

"Not!"

"Were!"

"Not!"

"You know I can't remember a time when we fought like this."

"We never fought like this. Remember you killed our clan."

"I also seem like the one who's rebuilding it." Itachi said. Sasuke feel silent. Itachi naturally won the argument.

"So where are we going?" Sasuke said trying to break the awkward silence.

"Back to where I met the Akatsuki."

"Why are we going there?"

"You know you sure ask a lot of questions for one of the most perceptive ninja in Konoha."

"Sakura's the best at that."

"I know."

"So why are we going there?"

"Because before I met them I thought I saw something of interest." Itachi lied.

"What?"

"Well if I knew we wouldn't be going back now would we?" Once again Itachi won the argument. "Come on." Racing off, Sasuke had to quickly race after his brother so he wouldn't be left behind.


	12. The decision

Chapter Twelve

What was he going to do? Sasuke was asleep and now was the perfect time to just sneak out and inform the Akatsuki of his and Sakura's decision. That was all he had to do. So why couldn't he? He had left his brother alone before, but why now of all times when maybe he was going to make the most important decision of his life with Sakura and he couldn't even get up from his guarding position at the entrance of the cave and make that decision public to the Akatsuki.

What was so hard about it? Just get up and go. Itachi kept telling himself. This might be your only chance.

Finally Itachi got to his feet, brotherly and fatherly instinct kicked in and he tucked the blanket around Sasuke's shoulders more tightly, before making his way to the entrance of the cave. He and Sasuke were sleeping in Orochimaru's old lair, seeing as they had left in the morning and not at night as Itachi had done the last time he came here, they had gotten there just before nightfall. They made their camp fairly deep in the cave so as to avoid detection from people passing by, and so Itachi could go and talk to the Akatsuki with out waking Sasuke.

As soon as Itachi walked out of the entrance Sasori, Deidara, and Kisame, appeared.

"Took your time getting out of there." Kisame remarked. "Why did you bring your brother?"

"What can I say? Still thinking about my wife's and mine's decision. And I brought Sasuke because Naruto asked me to, so we could sort out some 'issues'." Itachi replied coldly.

"Wait! You and Sakura-chan are married now, yeah?" Deidara's mouth was agape.

"Yes we married two days … um… now three days being past midnight, ago."

"How did she look, yeah? Ow!"

"Idiot." Sasori murmured as Itachi's fist hit Deidara on the top of the head. "So what's your decision?"

"We…"

_Oh god, oh god, oh god! What if something happens to them?_

**Them?**

_Just because we're married to Itachi doesn't mean we can't worry about Sasuke as well!_

**True**

_What if they're not happy with our decision?_

**Define 'not happy'**

_You know what I mean! You are me!_

**Once again true. But who do you mean by 'them'**

_YOU KNOW WHO!_

**Don't shout! Alright! It doesn't matter if they're not happy. It was our choice.**

_You know sometimes you can be quite ANNOYING!_

**Ow! My ears!**

_Oh shut up_

**Just calm down Sakura. Everything will be fine**

_… Thanks inner_

**Welcome**

"Sakura-chan!"

"Hai, Naruto?"

"Can you help me with something, please?"

"What?"

"Hinata-chan and I had a small fight this morning and I want to get her some flowers to say sorry and that I still love her. But I don't know what types of flowers say that." Naruto said looking like a broken puppy.

"Aw." Naruto blushed. "You know Naruto, roses say 'I love you', red or white ones, and Daffodils say 'I'm sorry' and 'I adore you'. But maybe you should go and see Ino at her flower shop. I'm sure she could help."

"Thanks Sakura-chan!" Naruto hugged Sakura and kissed her on the cheek. "Oh and Kakashi said he will make you some dinner if you want to go and visit him tonight. Apparently he wants to talk with you about 'gossip'."

"Thanks Naruto. And good luck with Hinata-chan." Sakura sat down and wondered about what Kakashi wanted to talk about. 'Gossip' to Kakashi is the code word for something that involves a mission. Well she go and see him tonight, get a free meal that she would most likely have to save as Kakashi was not known for his cooking, and she find out what he wanted. Once again her mind wandered to Itachi.

"We accept." Itachi told the three Akatsuki members.


	13. Agreement

Chapter Thirteen

"… What did you say?"

"Don't make me repeat myself Kisame. You heard me."

"Yes but… Wow… Deidara and I had a bet. Now I owe him $20."

"WOOT! Yeah!" Deidara said punching the air.

"We're joining stop making such a big deal out of it! Anyway we need to go back to Konoha before the baby's born anyway." Itachi said wanting them to just shut up.

"Why?" Sasori asked looking slightly confused.

"You ever delivered a baby?"

Sasori, Kisame, and Deidara all fell silent. They kinda forgot a woman needs help to deliver a kid.

"And Sakura would be the only med-nin in the Akatsuki, and I honestly don't think Sakura would be in any position to help herself while she's in labor. And we do have one request."

"What would that be?" Sasori asked dangerously.

"That once Orochimaru is dead Sakura and I return to Konoha. We won't bring our child up running all their life." Itachi said glaring at Sasori, Kisame, and Deidara.

The three Akatsuki members weren't prepared for that. They had been told by their leader to just get Itachi's answer, not receive requests or talk about them and come to an agreement.

"You'll have to talk to Leader-sama about that Itachi, yeah." Deidara said quietly.

"I'm right here."

Kisame jumped and Deidara yelped, and Sasori just kept staring at Itachi. Itachi suppressed a shiver.

"I'm guessing you heard my request."

"Yes I did Itachi. You know this is highly… well… it just… it isn't done." Leader said with a tilt of his head. Not that you could see much of his face as his Akatsuki cloak was always covering the bottom part of his face, but you could tell that he was smirking from the gleam in his eyes.

"I don't care. We're not staying after Orochimaru is dead. And I already left once. You can let me leave again."

"We didn't let you leave Itachi. You left of your own accord."

"And I'll do it again. We'll stay members but we won't slash our headbands, and we're going to live in Konoha when Orochimaru is dead. Can you live with that?" Itachi said glaring down at the leader, as Itachi was taller that him.

Leader seemed to give it careful consideration and thought before he said, "This is highly unusual. But I guess I don't have any other choice. Yes… fine, you and Sakura will remain members when our mission is completed. You can live wherever you please, but if I call on you, you both have to answer. For small missions we'll do it ourselves. But if we need all our power we will call on you. Alright?" Leader said extending his left hand.

Itachi looked at the outstretched hand for a while before clasping it in his left hand. "Alright. You knew I was going to make that request didn't you."

Leader nodded. "Love can sometimes be very predicable."

With that the Akatsuki members vanished leaving Itachi alone. He made his way back into the cave and woke up Sasuke, telling him that it was his watch. Sasuke immediately took his position and Itachi lay down to sleep. He knew he was going to need it. Now he had to come up with an excuse to get him and Sasuke home, and then he and Sakura had to come with an excuse for their future absence.

_Think he told them yet?_

**More than likely**

_Oh God_

**Hey come on Sakura. We made this decision as well you know**

_I know. But this pregnancy is making me really moody_

**Tell me about it**

_I just did_

**sticks tongue out**

_Whatever_

Sakura knocked on Kakashi's apartment door arriving just in time for dinner. The door opened almost instantly.

"I see you were excepting me."

"Always."

Sakura gave Kakashi a hug. He led her into the kitchen and sat her down at the table which already had the food set out.

"Fish?"

"You love fish don't you?" Kakashi asked confused.

"Kakashi, pregnant women can't eat fish." Sakura told him.

"Right, good thing I made some chicken then." Kakashi got up cleared the fish away and then bought over a platter full of different kinds of chicken and vegetable dishes.

"You know about a year ago, I would never have pictured you as someone who can cook." Sakura said smiling slightly.

"Well here's my secret. I don't cook. Iruka cooks and I just get the food off him."

Sakura now burst out laughing as she remembered how Iruka-sensei always made the best fish during cooking lessons back at the ninja academy. "I knew you couldn't cook. You always made me cook whenever we went on a mission back when we were still team 7."

Kakashi blushed and waited for Sakura to stop laughing.

"By the way am I the only one you ever invite over for dinner?"

"Yes."

"So I'm the only one who knows what your face really looks like?"

"Yes and you can't tell anyone remember. You swore."

"I remember Kakashi. I will take that secret to my grave. Maybe."

"Sakura…" Kakashi tried to say her name as a warning, the only thing wrong with that was that she was the only person alive that he felt he could talk to, so he could never threaten her.

"Oh I'm joking Kakashi." Sakura said with a knowing smile. "So what did you want to 'gossip' about."

"You joining the Akatsuki."

"You haven't told Itachi that I told you have you?"

"No, I wouldn't do that Sakura. You know I'm too scared to betray your trust." Kakashi said looking straight into her eyes. "I know there's nothing I can say to change your mind, but come on Sakura, you're the only person I can open up to. Who's going to listen to all my emotional problems with you gone?"

"Kakashi, it won't be forever. I'll be back before the baby's born and once we kill Orochimaru we're coming back here to live. You'll just have to last a few months without me, that's all."

"Still, I don't want you to go." Kakashi said mock pout.

"Oh Kakashi." Sakura got up from her seat and moved around to table, as Kakashi stood as well grasping Sakura into a warm embrace. "I'll miss you too Kakashi. You're like a father to me."

After that they both sat back down and talked about anything else while they ate dinner.

Kakashi watched as Sakura made her way home one hand place on her swelling belly. 'Why Sakura? Why did you have to choose Itachi? Why not me? Must my love always remain a secret?' Kakashi gave himself a quick slap. She belonged with Itachi, not him. Kakashi knew that. Now he just had to believe it.


	14. A forbidden love

Chapter Fourteen

The next day Sakura was walking along the streets of Konoha looking in the windows of all the shops, wondering what she could get Itachi for his upcoming birthday. Though he always made a point of not having birthday parties, Sakura wanted to throw one for him just before they left for the Akatsuki. It was also meant to be like a good-bye party for them, though only they and Kakashi would know that. Sakura sighed as she remembered that they weren't going to be here for her birthday. She quickly pasted on a smile as Ino ran up to her waving.

"Sakura! Don't see you out and about to much anymore."

"I'm trying to find a birthday present for Itachi. Got any ideas?" Sakura asked as she hugged her friend.

Ino shook her head, "Sorry I can't help you there. Throwing a party for the party hater?"

"I always do. I don't care if he doesn't like them I do, so he just has to live with that." Sakura looked around her at the shops and saw a set of kunai, and kanata. She new Itachi needed to replace some of the ones he broke while training. "Think he'd like those?"

Ino spied what Sakura was looking at and almost laughed out load. "Are you kidding me!? You're married to this guy and all you can think of is a new set of weapons!?"

"What!? It's not like he ever expressed any type of present that he wants."

"Touché." Ino said wiping a tear from the corner of her eye. "Oh and you might want to go and talk to Kakashi, he's training the hell out of the jounin training yard."

"What!? Why didn't you say so before?" Sakura almost shouted as she started to make her way as fast as possible to the training yard, before she stopped turned around gave Ino a hug and said "Sorry, it's isn't your fault."

"I know, you're moody. All pregnant women are. Now go, I think Kakashi really needs you right now, you're the only one he talks to."

"Bye."

"Jamata."

Sakura made her way to where she found Kakashi… crying. He was kneeling on the floor tears running down his cheeks drenching his mask. His head band was pulled up and Sakura could see the blood on his hands, where he'd spilt the skin on his knuckles. She could tell he had broken a few fingers. Sakura quickly made her way down the steps and place a shaking hand on Kakashi's shoulder. He didn't flinch or jump, he just calmly turned his head around and looked into her eyes.

"Oh Kakashi," Sakura sighed as she feel to her knees and pulled Kakashi into an embrace. She hugged him around the shoulders as he buried his face into her shoulder. She just let him cry thing of all the times she had cried on his shoulder, she knew this was all she could do for him at the moment. Soon she'll heal his wounds and then she'd ask him about why he was doing this to himself. She'd never seen him cry before, so she knew that whatever it was it was big. After awhile Kakashi pulled away from Sakura and he dried his eyes and looked at her. Sakura put one hand on Kakashi's cheek, and wiped away stray tears that he had missed. She healed the cut on his cheek and her hand never leaving his face she moved her green charka to heal his hands and knuckles. She also healed his shoulder that he had dislocated. She got a spare mask out of his pouch and pulled off his wet mask quickly replacing it with the dry one.

He didn't stop her, in fact Kakashi didn't even move, he just kept looking at her face. She was the reason why he had inflicted so much damage on himself. He knew she'd ask him why he had done this, but she could never know. But he also knew that he couldn't lie to her, she could always tell when he was lying. She could tell when anyone was lying. When she had finished healing him, she helped him to his feet and led him back to his apartment picking up his training bag on the way. He unlocked the door and they made the way inside. Sakura dumped his bad in the hallway and kicked the door shut behind her. She helped him to the couch and sat him own. Kakashi watched as Sakura went into the kitchen and made some really strong tea. She came back out after about ten minutes with a tray with two mugs of tea and some chocolate. Kakashi smiled, Sakura always knew how to cheer people up.

Sakura placed the tray on the coffee table and sat next to Kakashi, placing a mug in his hands. Taking up her mug, she had to pull down Kakashi's mask so he got the idea to drink. There was silence for five minutes before Sakura asked the blunt and obvious question.

"So why'd you do it?"

"… I don't know."

Sakura looked at him from the corner of her eye. She knew he was lying. To make him know that she knew she pulled his headband back down over his left eye. "Yes you do."

Kakashi knew he had to tell her, but how. There was more silence.

"… I was angry… confused."

"About?"

"… You?"

"… Me?"

Kakashi nodded. It was time to come clean with her. So she had chosen Itachi. He couldn't help that. Maybe if he told her, then maybe he could move on. Find someone that was right for him. Not his ex-student.

"… What about me? Still the Akatsuki thing?"

Kakashi shook his head and took another sip of his tea.

"So, what about me led you to do this?"

"… You know what Sakura."

"Kakashi don't."

"I can't help it Sakura. I don't control my heart."

"Oh Kakashi." Sakura sighed. She put her mug down and then took Kakashi's mug and placed it on the table as well. "Kakashi look at me." She said taking hold of both of his hands in hers. He did. He looked at her right in the eyes with desperation in his eye.

"Kakashi, I know that you love me, but you also know that I'm married now. Also it would never have worked. You're my ex-sensei. The whole of Konoha would be against it." Once again Sakura pulled Kakashi into a hug. His arms around her waist. "I'm sorry Kakashi. But all you could ever be to me is a friend."

"I know Sakura. I'm sorry I shouldn't have told you. But…"

"But I always force things out of you?"

Kakashi nodded into Sakura's shoulder thinking he was going to start crying again. He squeezed his eyes shut to block the tears from flooding down his cheeks, and just let himself get lost in the comfort of her arms. Sakura placed her hand on top of Kakashi's head. She knew she had to leave soon. She felt tried from healing Kakashi before and now having to keep a brave face, when all she wanted to do was to put as much distance between Kakashi and her as possible. If there was anything that scared a recently married woman more than, "I love you" from a man you weren't married to, Sakura really wanted to know what it was. She knew what Kakashi felt for her, but she had hoped he would never tell her.

**So much for that hope**

_Shut up_

**We have to get out of here and soon**

_I know. Just be patient_

Kakashi felt that Sakura was uncomfortable. Regrettably he let her go.

"You'd better go." He was a little sad but he knew she couldn't stay here after what he had just told her.

Sakura nodded. She stood up and kissed Kakashi on the forehead. She opened up the front door but before she left she called back into the apartment.

"You will find someone one day Kakashi. Someone that you love, and love's you back. And when you find that person, I'll be there with a smile and congratulate you."

Sakura then left and closed the door quietly behind her.

Back inside, Kakashi knew that now he could move on. He loved Sakura, but even if she wasn't his, she was still his friend. 'Yes' he thought. The out loud he said "Yes Sakura. I will find someone for me. Eventually."

He drank the rest of his tea and then went to find Iruka. It was time to go back out into the dating world.


	15. Remembering

Chapter Fifteen

"_Itachi!!"_

Itachi heard a 'come here quick' tone in Sakura's voice when she had barged though the door of his apartment. Having just had a shower getting back from a mission he warped a towel around the lower half of his body, letting his wet hair just hang down his back. He made his way as fast as possible without losing the towel to the lounge room where Sakura was frantically looking around for him. She blushed when she saw that she had caught him out of a shower.

"Sorry. I just found out you got back and… I can come back later." Sakura said meekly.

"What is it?" Itachi asked slightly worried. It wasn't like Sakura to just barge into his apartment usually she knocked and then still stood there for about half an hour just incase he was in the shower.

"Um… You might want to sit down…"

"What is it?" Itachi asked again stepping towards her taking hold of her hand.

"Um… Itachi… I found out yesterday that… um…"

She paused in mid-sentence and Itachi was almost frantic himself wanting to know what had led her to act so much like not her. "You found out what yesterday?"

"… I'm… we're going to have a baby!" Sakura squealed beaming from ear to ear.

Itachi did a double take. "…W…what? Did you…? You're…?"

Sakura nodded and Itachi thought that he had never seen Sakura look so happy or so beautiful. Her entire being was gleaming. She was pregnant. Itachi couldn't believe it. He now wished he had taken her offer of sitting down. He let her hands drop and walked slowly over to the couch and sat down, resting his head in his hands. He couldn't believe it. He was going to be a dad!

"Itachi…?"

Itachi's head snapped up and he smile hearing the concern in Sakura's voice. He was pretty sure he was acting like she had excepted him to. He sat up straight and held out his arms for her. She walked over and let him pull her down to sit on his lap. His hand cupped her chin and he brought her face up so they were looking into each others eyes. Itachi leaned forward and kissed Sakura softly on the lips.

"That's wonderful Sakura." Itachi whispered against her mouth and smiled along with her. Still looking into her bright emerald green eyes he wrapped his arms around her waist and then remembered that he had actually planned on asking her something. "If you wouldn't mind just sitting here just for a moment, I'll just finish drying off and then I'm taking you out for lunch."

Sakura obliged and sat on the couch as Itachi went back into the bathroom and dried himself off and got dressed. He picked something up from his bedside table and put it in his pocket.

Itachi took Sakura to a coffee shop and let her order whatever she wanted, which turned out to be a slice of chocolate cake and a latte. Itachi ordered pretty much the same except for the cake.

They discussed anything that had to do with babies such as names, and christening dates. After an hour Itachi walked Sakura back to his apartment as he wanted to be alone with Sakura and she lived with Hinata at the moment.

Once inside Itachi took hold of both of Sakura's hands.

"What is it Itachi?"

"Sakura this morning when you came in here and told me that we are going to become parents I didn't react in a way that I should have."

"Don't worry Itachi. I understand it was a bit of a shock."

"No Sakura. It doesn't matter I should have acted in a way that didn't make you feel like I didn't want this baby. Because I do. Just like I want to ask you something now before I regret it."

"What?"

Itachi got down onto one knee and pulled the thing that had been lying next to his bed. He opened it and there was a ring. Sliver with a light pink diamond the shape of tear drop. "Sakura, will you marry me?"

Sakura clapped a hand over her mouth. Her hand moved to her chest and she said the first thing that came to her mind. "Oh my god, that rocks huge!"

Itachi smile as he guessed this had come as a bit of a shock to her. And yes the diamond was big. It had cost a fair bit, but he knew it was worth it. "Well?"

"Yes, oh god, yes!" Sakura said flinging herself around Itachi's neck knocking him to the ground with Sakura a top of him. He had his arms around her waist, and she was crying into his shoulder. He buried his face into her neck, feeling happier that he ever had. He was going to become a father, and marry the woman that he loved more than anything on earth.

'I'll protect you Sakura. You and the baby. I'll protect you forever.' Itachi thought to himself.

Neither of them noticed Sasuke open the door and then quickly close it again having figured what had just happened.

Itachi woke from his day-dream, reliving the happiest day of his life, when he heard Sasuke call out his name saying that breakfast was ready. Before heading back into the cave Itachi reaffirmed to himself that he and Sakura had made the right choice and that everything would be alright from now on. He'd keep his silent promise to her and the baby.

_"You're pregnant." Tsuande informed Sakura._

"W… what? I'm… what?"

"You're pregnant."

Sakura squealed and hugged Tsuande around the neck before letting her go when she remembered that Tsuande doesn't like being hugged.

"Itachi should be please."

Sakura coughed as she remembered the last Itachi had been in the care of a baby for a day. It didn't go to well. He had gotten stains on his clothes when the baby spat mashed carrot on his top. Itachi wasn't please. But she hoped that now that Sakura was there also as the mother maybe he'd be easier to deal with.

"Does the silence mean the baby's not Itachi's?" Tsuande asked.

"What? No! The baby's his. It's just he's not too big on babies."

"Right…"

The next day Sakura went to Itachi's apartment and told him the news. She knew he was shocked but she was even more shocked when Itachi proposed to her later in the day. She had never felt so happy. She was going to have a family. A husband and a child. All hers just to love as a wife and a mother. Nothing could have made her feel sad that day. And her happiness was contagious as that was the first day in about a month that Kakashi didn't have some sort of emotional problem. That night when Sakura went home to her's and Hinata's apartment she joyfully told Hinata the news and that now she was moving in with Itachi. Hinata was so happy for her that she even helped Sakura pack her stuff.

Later that night Sakura had just finish unpacking the last box and Itachi had burned the dinner. So they ordered pizza.

The one thing Sakura didn't except was that she was going to have a fight with Itachi the next morning which ended in him walking out the door to go and train, and Sakura sitting on the couch crying.

Next thing Sakura knew Itachi was throwing Sasuke up against a wall shouting at him and at her. Sakura dimly remembered that Sasuke had come in an attempt to get Sakura away from Itachi by saying that he had found someone else who wasn't a burden to him. Itachi had walked in just as Sakura and Sasuke were about to kiss.

Sakura broke down and fell to her knees when Itachi started to shout at her 'Why?'

Itachi picked Sasuke up by the color nearly choking him and threw him out the door telling him that he would die if he ever came back here. Then walking over to Sakura he bend down and picked her up none to gently and carried her over to the couch placing her down on it. Itachi racked his hand though his hair which he had forgotten to tie back.

"Just tell me why, Sakura." Sakura could here the venom in his voice. But she could say anything between her sobs of fear and pain. Not physical pain. Her heart felt like it was breaking. Again. She had come so close to destroying what she had with Itachi, all because she had listened to his brother, instead of trusting her instincts.

Sakura shook her head as if to say she didn't know.

Itachi dropped to his knees and took hold of Sakura's hands. She brought her face up to look into his eyes.

Itachi sighed as he saw in her eyes that she was hurting and confused. Sakura hoped that he knew that it wasn't her fault. She didn't plan for it to happen.

Itachi pulled Sakura into a warm loving embrace. Sakura knew she couldn't live without him. And she told him that. Itachi's arms tighten around her back and he whispered the same against her neck. Sakura knew that Itachi trusted her enough to know that it wouldn't happen again. She couldn't say the same for Sasuke. Itachi gave Sasuke death glares and looks that seem to say 'Just try and touch her again' for about a month afterwards.

'I'll protect you Itachi. You and the baby. I'll protect you forever.' Sakura thought to herself.

"SAKURA-SAN!"

Sakura was pulled from her day-dream of her silent promise as Rock Lee called out her name. She turned around to face the unique eye-browed ninja. "Hi Lee." She said smiling and waving.

"Hallo. Now that Itachi's not around to give me any death glares do you want to go and get some lunch. I think I still owe you a lunch from the last time you healed me."

Sakura laughed. She knew that Itachi gave any man a death glare if they ever asked Sakura out to lunch or whatever. "Sure where did you want to go?"

"Anywhere you want to go Sakura-san." Lee held out his arm.

Sakura laughed softly as she linked arms with him. "As long as it's not fish I'm good."

"Then I'll take you to that little coffee shop on the corner of the ninja academy."

**Enjoy life here for as long as you can Sakura**

_We will come back though_

**Yea, but for how long?**

_Long enough to enjoy what we have_


	16. Apology

Chapter Sixteen

"Hurry up Sasuke."

"Slow down weasel."

"I swear if you call me that one more time I will…" Itachi threatened banishing a fist in Sasuke's direction.

"You'll do what weasel?" Sasuke teased thinking his brother wouldn't do anything. "Uff…" was the sound Sasuke made when Itachi's fist connected with his chin.

"That's what dobe!"

"Dobe is Naruto's nickname!" Sasuke said indignantly rubbing his chin.

"Prefer it if I called you baka or teme?"

Sasuke fell silent as he got back on his feet starting to run to try and catch up with his brother. They were heading back to Konoha. They had found a piece of parchment that had a map drawn on it. Different places were marked all over the map, place where to Itachi's and Sasuke's knowledge weren't inhabited with towns or cities. So they assumed they were hideouts of Orochimaru. Sasuke had wanted to immediately go and check them out, but Itachi had insisted that they go and get someone who actually knew the entire layout of what the map showed, so they didn't accidentally barge in on somewhere where they weren't welcome. Though Sasuke pointed out that if it were an Orochimaru hideout they wouldn't be welcome at any point in time. Itachi ignored this remark and started to head back to Konoha. Itachi also heard the comment of "He just wants to go back so he can be with Sakura" from Sasuke but choose to just ignore that too.

"Slow down Itachi!"

"Itachi? What happened to weasel?"

"Would you like me to go back to calling you that?"

"No Itachi's fine Sasuke-teme."

"Come on I stopped calling you weasel you could at least stop calling me teme."

"Fine Sasuke."

Itachi slowed his pace slightly so Sasuke could catch up. Itachi smiled slightly as he thought of the fact that Sasuke had been training more than Itachi in the last four months and yet Itachi was still faster and stronger than his little brother.

"Neh, Itachi?"

"Hn…?"

"Do you think we will ever really get rid of Orochimaru?"

Itachi and Sasuke stopped and sat down on the branches of the tree they had just landed in. Both men had the same thought patterns as they got out some food for lunch.

"I don't know." Itachi said.

"Don't know what?"

"If we will ever really be rid of Orochimaru. I hope so."

"… Because you promised Sakura you would get rid of him?" Sasuke half stated a fact half asked a question.

Itachi nodded, looking away from Sasuke's face.

"I'm sorry."

Itachi almost fell out of the tree. Sasuke's apology was unexpected and Itachi didn't know what it was for. Plus Sasuke never apologized.

"… For what?" Itachi asked after a long pause.

"For what I did four months ago. With Sakura."

Itachi suddenly understood that Sasuke was apologizing about the day he had tried to take Sakura away from Itachi. The day after they had gotten engaged.

"Bit late to expect forgiveness isn't it?" Itachi stated raising one eyebrow, looking uncertain at Sasuke. Why the sudden change in attitude.

"I know it's too late, but you made it very difficult to try and say sorry to you or to Sakura. You kept giving me glares that seemed to say 'back off or I'll kill you'."

"I wanted to kill you." Itachi stated.

Sasuke sighed before he continued with his explanation. "You know we've always been very competitive. You had something in your life to live for. You had love. And I felt alone like always. You killed our clan, though for reasons which I now know, and I guess I wanted you to feel the same hurt I had that day…"

"Is that meant to be some kind of excuse!?" Itachi interrupted. He could feel his anger building up if Sasuke didn't stop now.

"I said I'm sorry Itachi. I didn't know why you had killed our clan till about a month ago. When I tried to take Sakura from you I still didn't know that. How was I supposed to know? You never told me. I was angry that Konoha had let you come back." Sasuke said looking at the ground.

"You may have been young when I killed our clan Sasuke but still you should have been able to see that our father only cared about keeping us on a tight leash. He was training us to become warriors. Back then I did what was necessary to protect you…"

"I understand that now Itachi! Give me half a chance to speak please! I'm sorry! I'm sorry I tried to hurt you. I'm sorry I didn't trust you. I'm sorry I tried for ten years to find away to try and kill you or inflict the same pain on you that you had put me though. I'm sorry about everything that needs apologizing for! How many times do I need to say it! I'm sorry!" Sasuke wasn't shouting but hell, he wanted to shout. He would tell the world that he was sorry if Itachi would just stop acting so hostile towards him. "God Itachi. I don't say sorry to just anyone. And I don't say sorry unless I really have to. And I had to. And now that I have, I don't expect forgiveness, but at least, please, stop pushing me away. I'm still your brother, no matter how much you may want that to be otherwise."

Itachi was slightly startled by all of what Sasuke had said. His mouth was slightly agape but he quickly shut it again as soon as he noticed that it was open.

"I don't know what to say to all that Sasuke." Sasuke's head snapped up and looked straight into Itachi's eyes. "I want to forgive you Sasuke, but you also have to apologize to Sakura. Or if you want I'll talk to her. Though I think it would be best if you talked to her." Itachi said happy as Sasuke nodded his said as if to say that he would talk to Sakura. "Though I will be there when you talk to her. Because for all your apologies it's going to still take awhile before I trust you again around her."

"I understand."

Itachi and Sasuke were silent for the rest of the way back to Konoha. They were polite to eachother when they informed Naruto about the map. Naruto said that he would send other ninja out to scout the areas and then send he would go with Itachi and Sasuke when they found out where Orochimaru was hiding.

Itachi made his way quickly back to his apartment. Sakura had the door already open having heard that Itachi was back from an assistant med-nin.

"SURPRISE! HAPPY BIRTHDAY ITACHI!"

Itachi was surprised as all of his and Sakura's friends came out of different hiding spots in the apartment celebrating his birthday. Smiling as well as he could as he hated surprises he walked over to Sakura bend down as if to kiss her on the cheek, but whispered in her ear "You little hellion."

Pulling back Sakura smiled wickedly up at him. "This party has two meanings for us, so please just… enjoy it."

Itachi saw that she really needed this party not only to celebrate his birthday but for a secret goodbye for her. So he indulged his wife. Accepting well wishes as gracefully as he could and pretending to enjoy all the presents he was given, though he did really enjoy the new set of kunai and kanata from Sakura, he was less joyful about the first season of 'Come, Come, Paradise' novels from Kakashi. He knew Sakura would throw them out the next day.

After everyone had gone home, Itachi and Sakura sat down on the couch, Itachi's arms wrapped around Sakura's belly.

"Thank you Sakura."

"… What did you say?" Sakura said turning her head around to look at his face.

"Thank you. I may not like parties, but we needed this one. As a secret goodbye more than anything."

Sakura snaked her arms around Itachi's neck and smiled as she kissed him. "Thank you Itachi. For acting like a person tonight."

Sakura squeaked as Itachi dug his fingers into her side. "Do you mean to say that I don't usually act like a person?"

"During parties you don't."

They both smiled against each others lips. Itachi's tongue darted out and touched Sakura's bottom lip, requesting entry into her mouth. Sakura opened her mouth bringing Itachi's face closer so the gap between their lips was abolished. Itachi's tongue stroked Sakura's richly and with such passion and love that when he finally pulled away Sakura almost cried out in denial.

"It's time to go Sakura."

Sakura knew Itachi was right. It was time to go. There was still enough time before the baby was born to get rid of Orochimaru. But still, "Why now Itachi?"

"Sasuke and I found a map that had possible hideout spots of Orochimaru. I just think that this would be the best time to go and join the Akatsuki."

Sakura sighed and got up from Itachi's lap. He looked up at her confused thinking maybe she was having second thoughts about their decision. She walked into the bedroom and Itachi stood up about to follow when Sakura came back out carrying their two Akatsuki cloaks. She handed Itachi's cloak to him. "Ready?"

"Actually… no." Itachi said truthfully

"Me neither."

They both pulled their cloaks on and Sakura noticed how much the cloak suited Itachi. Itachi noticed how cute Sakura looked in hers.

Sakura put two envelopes on the coffee table one addressed to Naruto the other to Kakashi. Itachi understood why she had written both. One with a fake excuse to Naruto as to why they were gone, and to Kakashi as an emotional support letter. Placing a hand on Sakura's shoulder Itachi said "Come on Sakura. We'll be back in about four months."

"True. Let's go."

Itachi jumped out the window and then waited to Sakura to follow. He knew she was talking with her inner self, and saw that it was best not to interrupt her.

**Come on Sakura. It's time**

_I know but it's just…_

**I know Sakura. It's scary**

_Yea…_

**Get going and soon you'll forget that it's scary and you'll know that it's not as big as we're making it to be**

_… Thank you inner_

Sakura jumped out the window landing lightly next to Itachi. "You're going to have to move slowly. I'm not as fast as I used to be."

Itachi smiled and kissed Sakura on her forehead just above her headband. "I'll carry you if you get to tired. I just want to get a fair way away from here before midnight, just in case anyone comes back here and then decides to follow us."

Sakura nodded and then following Itachi along the roof tops, they had to rest when they reached the start of the road leading out of Konoha.


	17. Letters home

Chapter Seventeen

_Dear Kakashi,_

I am so sorry that all I can provide for you while I'm gone is a letter. I really wish that I had talked to you after that day when… well you know. But you scared me that day. And I must confess that I really found that writing this letter rather difficult. But I also knew that I couldn't just leave for four months without doing something.

I hope beyond hope that when I do come back that we can really actually talk without me feeling uncomfortable.

I'm sorry. I'm not good at saying goodbye. Especially to someone who means so much to me as you do. I really wish I knew what to say at this time. But it is hard to try and give comfort to someone in writing without knowing how they feel as they haven't told you. I find it easier to help you when I can talk to you face to face. God, I wish I knew what to say which could make this time away from eachother seem less painful for you. I know this will be hard for you, but it's hard for me too.

Please I beg of you don't tell anyone where Itachi and I are. Oh God now I feel like a lecturer. I'm sorry Kakashi. Really I feel so useless when it comes to… oh… when it comes to anything right now. Except maybe fretting about the Akatsuki.

I can't think of anything else to write, so I might leave this letter as is. I hope you cope as well as I hope you can.

Jamata, Kakashi

Love Sakura.

P.S. If you ever get as angry or confused as you did that day, don't take it out on your body. I won't be there to heal you back up, for the next four months. Bye.

Sakura's letter had become tear-stained as Kakashi weep silently as he read it in Sakura's and Itachi's apartment. He had gone back there to try and see if he could talk with Sakura about the incident where he told her he loved her.

"Jamata, Sakura." Kakashi whispered kissing the letter. He picked up the letter for Naruto and put it in his pocket. He would give it to Naruto tomorrow, figuring that Sakura and Itachi didn't want anyone following them before that.

Kakashi dried his eyes and folded Sakura letter and placed it in his breast pocket. He knew it was going to be a long four months before Sakura came back. As he left the apartment it started to rain, and Kakashi hoped Itachi wouldn't make Sakura travel in this weather being pregnant and all. He made his way to his apartment and fell down on his bed falling promptly asleep not bothering to get undressed.

"We have to find shelter Itachi. I can't stay out in the rain."

"I know Sakura!" Itachi said almost frantically looking around them covering Sakura as much as he could. It was only raining lightly but unless they found shelter soon and started a fire, it was almost certain that Sakura and the baby's life would be in danger from a cold or something else.

Itachi spotted a cave about a mile away from where they were standing in a tree. He quickly picked Sakura up bride style and raced towards it. He was slower having to carry Sakura, though he knew she had gained weight because of the baby. He reached the cave in about fifteen minutes and place Sakura on her feet. "Sorry."

"For what?" Sakura asked slightly confused about the apology.

"About taking you away on a night like this."

"Well if we can get a fire started I can't think of anything more romantic, than being out in the rain with my husband." Sakura said tenderly placing a hand on Itachi's arm.

Itachi pulled Sakura into a hug and then let go to try and find some dry wood. He found some under a tree branch that must have fallen a few weeks ago. Heading back to the cave Sakura had already dug a fire pit. Itachi placed the wood in the pit and lit it with his fire jitsu. He was kind of grateful that his father, no matter how evil his under lying motives were for it, taught him how to use fire jitsu's. They certainly came in use from time to time.

Sakura pulled some food from under her cloak and gave some to Itachi when he came to sit next to her. They were facing the entrance of the cave watching the race start to become heavier in its downfall. Itachi would have preferred to have fish for dinner but Sakura being pregnant and all couldn't eat fish so they hadn't brought any with them.

"So is this cave kinda like what the Akatsuki headquarters looks like?" Sakura asked.

"Kind of, except there are actual rooms under the floor of the cave where the Akatsuki sleep. Also there's a training room there as well. There is a training yard outside but because of the fact that the Akatsuki are S-class criminals they prefer to train under ground." Itachi informed her.

"You say them as if we aren't part of them."

"Well we aren't. Not really anyway. We may have accept to become part of them but we still have to go though tests to see if we're fit to be a part of the Akatsuki. I shouldn't have any trouble at that, but you…" Itachi looked at Sakura from the corner of his eye.

"Oh so just because I'm pregnant means that I can't pass a few tests. I managed to get most of the way here by myself thank you very much. I'm not an invalid. I just happen to be carrying a baby."

Itachi smiled at his wife's outburst. "Calm down Sakura. I'm pretty sure all their going to make you do is see how good a healer you are."

"Well that's not difficult. I've had to heal your wounds countless times. You were pretty much my training tool." Sakura said with a smile.

"Gee thanks Sakura. Now you make me feel like I'm too easy a target for anyone. If you remember you're the only one able to get a hand on me in spar."

"That's only because you're too scared you're going to hurt me."

"Wanna test that theory?"

"Maybe in about six or seven months."

Itachi laughed and draped an arm around Sakura's shoulders bring her closer to him trying to keep her as warm as possible. Sakura sighed as she lost herself in his arms and let sleep finally take her over. Itachi shifted her's and his position so Sakura was lying down her head cushioned on Itachi's leg. Itachi wouldn't wake her till the morning. Though that meant she have to have first watch tomorrow night.

_Dear Naruto,_

Sorry about the abrupt departure, but Itachi and I felt like we needed to get away for a few weeks. We'll mostly likely be back by half way though next month. You might say that we're going on our long delayed honeymoon. Sorry but I really don't have time to write anymore.

Oh and take care of Kakashi. He wasn't himself this week and I'm a bit worried about him that he'll do something stupid or something. Though it's usually you that does something stupid. Sorry, not fair of me to make fun at you though a letter.

Say hi to Hinata.

Jamata

Love, Sakura

Naruto smiled as he read Sakura's letter. 'It's about time they went on a honeymoon' he thought to himself. And the getting back half way though next month seemed reasonable, as Naruto most likely wasn't going to get any news back from any of the ninja he had sent out to search the places on the map Itachi had found.

"Kakashi?"

"Hn?"

"Can you take this letter to Tsuande? I think she needs to know where her best med-nin is." Naruto said.

"Sure."

Kakashi left the room thankful to be alone. With his sharingin Kakashi had been able to make out that the letter said that Sakura and Itachi were on a honeymoon. Good cover Sakura. But you'll have to come up with another excuse soon to say why you're not coming back for another three months.

"Come on Sakura. It's time to be getting up."

Sakura groaned as she tried to get herself of the ground. The fact was that even though her belly wasn't too big yet she was finding it harder and harder each day to do things she used to be able to do with ease. Eventually Itachi helped her up with a shake of his head.

"Shut up! I'd like to see you try and be all macho if you were pregnant."

"I didn't say anything." Itachi said throwing his hands up in the air as a defence.

"You were thinking it."

"Maybe but I'd never insult a pregnant women." Itachi said kissing Sakura on the cheek.

"Watch it. I get extremely moody in the mornings."

"I know. Ow!" Itachi said as Sakura hit him in the arm. "You watch it. I may not insult pregnant women, but I don't like being hit either."

Sakura smiled up at him indignantly.

They filled in their fire pit and started once more in the direction of the Akatsuki's headquarters. Itachi figured at the rate they were moving they'd get there by tomorrow, that was if didn't start raining again.

"What are you thinking about Itachi?"

"You."

"What about me?"

"If you could move any faster if we put you on wheels. OW! SAKURA!" Itachi shouted as he turned around taking hold of Sakura's hands pulling them up behind her back. "I told you don't hit me." He said with a smile.

"Your fault for insulting me."

"How did I insult you, hm, cherry blossom?" Itachi whispered against the tender part of skin behind Sakura's ear, making her shiver.

"By implying that I'm slow." Sakura said breathlessly.

"You are slow when it comes to running right now."

"Oh God, Itachi not in broad daylight! Come on!" Sakura said trying to push Itachi away who had started to kiss her neck. This only caused his hands to hold more tightly on her wrists and his arms contract harder around her body.

"We have to get rid of your fear of light you know Sakura." Itachi said bluntly pulling back slightly so he could look into her eyes.

"I know, but we are meant to be getting somewhere."

"Well like I was trying to say. If we could get you to move a little bit faster, we can get there by nightfall, but at this rate we'll be there tomorrow."

"Oh…"

Itachi smiled as he saw Sakura had caught onto his concern. If they didn't get there soon, they had no way of knowing what might happen, weather or otherwise. And Sakura was in no position to fight.

"Need help?"

Sakura jumped and even Itachi couldn't help looking a little startled. He and Sakura hadn't noticed the entire Akatsuki come up behind them, well behind Itachi.

"Depends on the help." Itachi said to them, regaining his composure. Not to sure about Sakura as she was still holding her breath, Itachi petted her on the back, sending her into a coughing fit. "Um, Sakura…?"

Between coughs Sakura managed to say, "I'm good."

A man whose face Sakura couldn't see stepped forward and stretched out a hand.

"Welcome, Sakura. Welcome to the Akatsuki." Leader said as Sakura laid her hand lightly in his.


	18. The meeting

Chapter Eighteen

Sakura stared blankly up at the leader of the Akatsuki, her hand still in his. She wanted to say 'what?', but looking at him she decided that it would be best if she thought of something else to say. But all that came out was "…ah…?"

Leader smiled and thought to himself that this was defiantly a shock for her. He just hadn't anticipated that she was extremely moody in the morning and that sneaking up on her wasn't a good idea. Though he soon found that out when her fist came and hit him squarely on the jaw sending him sprawling of the ground. She was defiantly strong, he knew that. He had felt it.

Itachi seeing that Sakura was acting on hormones quickly intervened and grabbed Sakura's wrists holding them against her sides.

"Sorry Leader-sama." Itachi said more than a little concerned about Sakura's reaction. She was becoming increasingly moody with each day that past during her pregnancy.

"No need for an apology Itachi-kun. My fault for sneaking up on you two. Especially since Sakura seems very touchy in the mornings."

"Baka." Sakura said under her breath.

"Sakura." Itachi cautioned her.

Leader smiled. "Well at least we know she's not weak. It's no small feat Sakura-chan to actually hit me off my feet."

"Well that's a blessing."

"Shut up Sakura." Itachi hissed in her ear.

Sakura shut her mouth tight, actually regretting how she was acting. But it wasn't her fault for being moody.

Kisame and Deidara were trying valiantly to control their laughter. But they promptly stoped when Sakura, Itachi, and Leader looked at them with death glares as if to say just try and laugh. Sasori shook his head. "Bakas." He muttered under his breath.

"Did you say something Sasori?" Sakura said glancing in his direction.

"No just clearing my throat." He said quickly, then clearing his throat as if to justify his excuse, not liking the dangerous gleam in her eyes or the fact that she was able to hit Leader. He decided he had better stay on her good side.

"Oh will you two knock it off!" Itachi snapped at Kisame and Deidara who had now burst out laughing.

"Sorry." They both said jerking to attention.

Their apology reminded Itachi of Sasuke's yesterday. He'd tell Sakura about it later.

"So were you going to help us or what?"

"Good for them."

"You're not angry Tusande?"

"Why on earth would I be angry Kakashi? It's about time those two went away together. Sakura wasn't any use to the hospital while she was pregnant anyway so it doesn't bother me that she's not here for a month." Tusande said handing the letter back to Kakashi. "Though I would have preferred a weeks notice at least. But I guess it was a spur of the moment decision, so I'm not too worried about it."

As Kakashi left he could help thinking how long Sakura and Itachi had been thinking about this and how it wasn't a spur of the moment decision. But like Sakura had told him in his letter, he couldn't really tell anyone. Because then Sakura wouldn't be allowed back into Konoha.

When he exited to hospital he quickly forgot about Sakura and the Akatsuki as he ran into a woman (not that he did that as a hobby), bowling them both over and sprawled on the ground.

"Sorry…" Kakashi said quickly.

"Oh it's alright. Nothing broken, and if there was at least there's a hospital so close by." She said. Her voice had a husky tone to it, yet still it was a rich as velvet. Kakashi decided he had never heard anything so beautiful and wondered how her voice sounded when she laughed. He looked into her eyes, they were a bright orange, strange yet unique. Her hair was a blue black, kinda reminded Kakashi of Sasuke's hair colour, and it was thick and wavy framing her face with a few wisps. She had her hair tied back so her neck was exposed and the style enhanced the length of her neck. Kakashi couldn't help but stare as he helped her to her feet.

"You sure you're alright?" Kakashi asked, unsure as to weather he was alright.

"Oh, yes. Really I am. I'm Hoshi by the way."

"You shouldn't give your name to someone you just met."

"Yes well I think of myself as a good judge of character." Hoshi said with a smile.

"Well I'm Kakashi, and very pleased to meet you." Kakashi said his exposed eye showing that he was smiling to.

"Well Kakashi, I'm pleased to meet you too."

"So where are you from?"

"This an interview Kakashi?" Hoshi asked with questioning eyes.

"Maybe if you'd like to continue it over lunch?"

"What a pick up line. Use it on every girl you bump into?"

"Only ones as interesting as you Hoshi."

"Well then I'm flattered and would love to. Today?"

"One o'clock?"

"Meet me here?"

"Of course."

"Alright. Jamata Kakashi." Hoshi said moving gracefully past him and waving.

"Jamata Hoshi." Kakashi said as he watched Hoshi walk into the Hospital door. He could tell she was naturally clumsy yet graceful in her recovery as she quickly twirled on her heel, opened the door and leapt inside grabbing hold of the wall rail before falling over. Yes she was graceful. 'Maybe that's the girl Kakashi.' He thought, and if she wasn't at least Kakashi would have some fun and make it fun for her as well.

A few hours later Itachi and Sakura were settling into the room they were given. Originally they were given to separate bedrooms but decided that they'd just take one. In the cupboard there were spare Akatsuki cloaks in case one of their others got damaged. There was also an adjourning bathroom and Sakura and Itachi immediately took a shower having slept outside all night.

After a while Kisame came for them saying that it was time.

"Time for what?" Sakura asked looking at Itachi.

"For our tests." Itachi answered taking Sakura's hand in his linking fingers with her and lead her out to the training yard.

Leader was there and as he saw Itachi and Sakura come out of the cave he smiled and opened his arms as if he wanted to embrace them. Both Itachi and Sakura stopped just in front of him. He dropped his arms still smiling though. He reminded Sakura of someone, she just couldn't figure out who, then it hit her Naruto. But why? Why did the Leader of the Akatsuki remind Sakura of Naruto. Was it because Naruto was the Hokage? Or because they seemed to have similar personality traits? Though very week similar traits.

"Well Itachi even though you were once an Akatsuki you still have to pass our test." Leader said his smile unwavering.

"And what would it be this time?"

"Take on the entire Akatsuki, single handily."

"You're kidding right?" Itachi said lifting one eyebrow. "The entire Akatsuki, that's a fucking seven S-class criminals and you except me to take all of them on!?"

"What Itachi? Think you can handle it? Yeah?" Deidara said stepping forward.

"No I can handle it. I'm just thinking about all the rest of you." Sakura could tell that Itachi wasn't making an empty threat. He meant every word he was saying. To bad the rest of the Akatsuki didn't realise that as well.

"Keep you mouth shut Itachi! We're stronger than before!" That was Hidan, a stocky not really short but not tall guy with a really short temper, who banished his fist at Itachi.

"Yeah you're stronger, but your still as hot headed as you were when I left." Itachi's insult was meant to hurt and it did.

"Bring it on." Kisame said. He didn't have his sword with him today, he was told to fight with hands and jitsu's only. Though he really wasn't happy about it.

Itachi pushed Sakura over towards the edge of the yard knowing that this was his test, not her's. Her's was most likely to heal who ever got injured in this fight.

Hidan started it off by throwing a few kunai and shuriken at Itachi. Itachi dodged all of them and came up with inhuman speed behind Hidan. He brought his foot up and kicked Hidan squarely in the back sending him flying about ten metres. Kisame, Deidara, and Leader reacted just as fast as Itachi's speed. Forming hand seals they all said a jitsu and directed them at Itachi.

"Suiton, Umi no Dangan!" Came Kisame's. Speeding water bullets rushed though the air.

Deidara didn't say anything but he opened his palms to reveal the two mouths on either hand. Out of them he sent two bird bombs.

Whatever leader said was to hard to hear but he sent a lighten strike dragon looking thing towards Itachi.

With his sharingin, Itachi had seen in advance all of the jitsu's they were going to use but he still didn't move even when the jitsu's collided with his body.

Sakura screamed and clapped her hands over her mouth. Suddenly Zetsu, a weird plant looking guy, came up behind here and grabbed both her arms forcing them to her sides. Hidan had recovered enough to then press a kunai up against her throat.

"Now for your test Sakura." Hidan said to her with a sneer on his face.

Before Sakura could blink Hidan and Zetsu were thrown aside knock out with small wounds on the top of their heads. Itachi grabbed Sakura around the waist before her knees gave out. She clutched her stomach with a groan.

The mood suddenly changed in the training yard. Everyone went quite as Itachi gently let Sakura fall to her knees. His arm stayed around her waist and with his other hand he stroked the back of her neck waiting for her to clam down and for the stress of what just happened to wear off.

Hidan and Zetsu were still knocked out when Sakura finally got control over her body again. Then Leader came up to her and apologized for what happened.

"Hidan and Zetsu were stupid. This wasn't your test Sakura-chan. Only Itachi's and he past so now if you would just be kin enough to heal Hidan's and Zetsu's head I think that will do as your test. I already felt your strength earlier."

"You expect her to heal the guys who made her have a false labor pain." Itachi almost shouted.

"I already said they were stupid. I will deal with them accordingly when they wake up Itachi."

Itachi opened his mouth to say something else but was cut off when Sakura pulled her self from Itachi's arm and made her way over to where Hidan and Zetsu were lying. She knelt and healed both their heads at the same time. They instantly woke up once the wound was completely healed. Then Sakura hit them on the head again not making a wound but knocking them out. Itachi smirked and Leader laughed out loud. Deidara, Kisame, and Sasori looked on in disbelief. Tobi just danced around everywhere.

"Fair enough Sakura-chan. You pass too."

"Wonderful." Only Itachi heard the sarcastic note in her voice. "Now if none of you mind I need to lie down." With out waiting for an answer Sakura made her way back into the cave and back to her's and Itachi's room. Itachi followed soon after only to find Sakura already asleep on the bed. He took off her Akatsuki cloak and covered her with a sheet. He then went back out to start training and mostly to see what Leader would do with Hidan and Zetsu.


	19. Date with a star

Chapter Nineteen

"You're late Kakashi."

"I know and I am deeply sorry for making you wait Hoshi. May I make it up to you by taking you out to lunch?"

"I thought we already agreed to go out to lunch to make up for bowling me over earlier. Or did you forget that?" Hoshi said smiling.

"Oh how could I ever forget that?" Kakashi said holding out his arm his elbow bend. "May I?"

"You may." Hoshi said linking arms with Kakashi. Sure they had only just met but Hoshi didn't feel uncomfortable around him. And it was best she got to know someone here really well to make it easier to complete her mission. But she couldn't let anyone know what it was. 'And definitely not this strange yet very intriguing man.' Hoshi thought to herself. "I talked to a few people today to find something's about you."

"That's called prying in other peoples business. And that's rude." Kakashi replied smiling at her.

Hoshi laughed and then continued. "They said that you never take your mask off and that only one person has ever seen your face. Haruno Sakura."

Kakashi immediately dropped Hoshi's arm and turned away from her. "She's no longer Haruno Sakura. Her name is Uchiha Sakura. She got married just over a week ago." Kakashi said. Hoshi could hear the sadness in his voice.

"You loved her didn't you?" Hoshi asked already knowing the answer. She wisely didn't touch him but just waited.

"…Yes. And yes she is the only one who has ever seen my face." Hoshi reminded Kakashi of Sakura so much. He suddenly knew somewhere deep down that Hoshi could make him happy if no one else could. He suddenly knew that he had to make this work. Even if it meant showing her his face. He quickly turned around and gave her a genuine smile. He immediately felt Hoshi relax as he heard her soft sigh. Once again he held out his arm, elbow bend. "Come on. Let's go and get some ramen. Take away if you don't mind. When I show you my face I don't want other people surrounding us."

Hoshi linked arms with Kakashi again and knew that he trusted her. And she could help but trust him. At that moment she knew she had fallen for him. If not totally at least a little. Enough to know that when she got to her apartment she'd most likely swoon. "Your apartment or mine?"

"How did you know I live in an apartment?"

"Lucky guess."

"Then this must be your lucky day Hoshi. Mine I think. If you don't mind."

"Not at all."

They went and bought two bowls of take away ramen and made their way to Kakashi apartment. When they arrived Kakashi warmed up the ramen and sat opposite to Hoshi at the table.

"Now please try not to faint." Kakashi warned.

"Oh come on it's just a face."

Kakashi pulled up his forehead protector and Hoshi gasped as she saw the scar over his eye and the;

"Sharingin. That is so cool!" Hoshi squealed. "I thought sharingin belonged to the Uchiha clan."

"It does. To be honest I'm not really sure how come I have it, but it's useful at times." Kakashi explained to her. "Now…"

Kakashi slipped a finger over the edge of his mask and started to pull it down. He stopped just before it slipped over his nose. His eyes were close and Hoshi cautiously place her hand over his. His eyes shot open and stared at her. She could tell he was scared. After all he had only showed his face to one other person.

"It's alright Kakashi. I won't tell anyone what you really look like." Hoshi gave him the sweetest smile and Kakashi knew that was his undoing. With her hand still over his he pulled his mask down the whole way.

Hoshi's eyes bulged as she saw the straight thin nose, and the beautifully define mouth. Kakashi's lips were chiselled and had a red glow to them but still were slightly faded with the beige colour of his skin. Clean shaven Kakashi's chin was richly defined with his slightly square jaw. Hoshi brought her hand up to trace over his chin but hesitated. After a second she placed her hand one his cheek and traced a finger across his jaw. Kakashi's lips were parted and Hoshi could see he had very straight white teeth. She decided she had never seen a more handsome man and never would. She traced her finger over his lips and thrilled when Kakashi darted out his tongue to wet his lips grazing her finger. Hoshi immediately thought of what it would be like to kiss him. She tried to hide a blush at that time and tried to think of something to say.

"You're…" Hoshi didn't really know how to finish that sentence. Beautiful? Handsome? Gorgeous?

"Just say it Hoshi." Kakashi's voice had become deep and husky.

"…Magnificent." It wasn't exactly the word Hoshi wanted but it was good enough.

"Thankyou."

Hoshi quickly pulled her hand away and picked up her chopsticks. Kakashi followed suit and they both ate their ramen in silence.

"I'll walk you home." Kakashi said.

"O.K." Hoshi said not wanting to leave him. But knew she must eventually. She almost cried out in denial when Kakashi pulled his mask back up.

Linking arms again Kakashi kept her as close to his side as possible. He had felt her blush when something had crossed her mind before and he didn't want to rush anything with her. So he let the matter be.

When they arrived at her apartment Hoshi fiddled with her keys and Kakashi stared at her shamelessly. When Hoshi finally opened the door she said a rushed good bye and was about to enter her apartment when Kakashi placed a hand on her shoulder stilling her movement. Orange eyes met black eye. Stepping forward Kakashi pulled his mask down coolly and kissed Hoshi on the lips in a swift kiss. Pulling his mask back up Hoshi stilled his hand. Kakashi looked at her questionably. Hoshi wanted more. His lips had barely touched hers. Pulling him down to her Kakashi go the idea and covered her mouth with his. Hoshi wrapped her arms around his neck not wanting to let go. Not wanting this kiss to end. Kakashi wrapped his arms around her slender waist with the same desires as Hoshi. His tongue darted out and touched her top lip requesting entrance. Hoshi responded and opened her mouth to accept its guest. Kakashi traced the inside of Hoshi's top lip. Hoshi's hand swept along Kakashi's jaw as if to pull him closer. She repeated Kakashi's tongue movement with her own in his mouth. His arms contacted around her waist bruising her against him. His hand combed though her hair. Hoshi's other hand cupped the back of his neck, placed on the tender bit of skin. After what seemed like an hour Kakashi broke the kiss. Cupping the back of Hoshi's head his hugged her crushing her to him. Hoshi inhaled the scent of him and knew that she was branded with it. But it was beautiful.

"I'd better go." Kakashi said after a long pause, his voice rich with passion.

"Yes." Hoshi said her voice rushing over Kakashi's senses.

Holding eachother for about another minute they finally let go.

"Bye." Hoshi said slowly closing her door.

"Jamata starlight." Kakashi said.

Kakashi sighed as the door shut. He turned around and pulled his mask back over his face. Then regrettably he made his way slowly back to his apartment. He was still thinking about his and Hoshi's kiss. He knew that she was his now. And he would not stuff this relationship up. He would make it work, because he liked her and cared for her.

Kakashi laughed out loud. "God Kakashi you only just met her." He sighed. 'Well I do care for her. And I do like her. More than a friend.' Kakashi thought. He flopped down on his couch and drifted off into a day-dream about Hoshi.

When Sakura woke up the next day she found herself in Itachi's arms. She smiled as she realised that the must have been asleep for over 30 hours. She did a slight double-take when she didn't recognise the room she was sleeping in. She sat up in bed and;

"Shit." She said as she remembered that she was now an Akatsuki full member. She suddenly had to lie back down as a dizzy wave came over her. When she fell back onto the bed she woke Itachi up.

"Hallo, my cherry blossom. Nice to see you finally awake."

Sakura couldn't say anything back as she put a hand over her eyes, the coolness of her hands easing the pain in her head.

"What's wrong Sakura?" Itachi asked looking at her intently. When she didn't answer he pulled his arm out from under her and touched her forehead. He felt like his hand had been scorched as he noticed how hot her face was. "Shit." He quickly jumped out of bed and went to get a damp cool cloth. He placed it over her forehead and wondered if she had a fever or something else.

Sakura felt the cloth of her forehead and was thankful that Itachi had got it. Her face had warmed up her hand. Then she groaned.

Itachi felt hopeless. What could he do unless Sakura told him what was wrong. "What's wrong Sakura?" Itachi repeated.

"Migraine." Sakura said finally. Now Itachi knew what he could do. He blocked out as much light as possible and then sat down next to Sakura holding her hand being quiet. Though the silence didn't last long as Deidara barged though the door.

"ITACHI! SAKURA-CHAN! BREAKFAST! Uff…" Deidara said as Sakura threw a pillow at him hitting him accurately in the face. Itachi smirked and whispered in Sakura's ear;

"I'll bring you something to eat. You stay here."

"Thankyou." Sakura said softly. She just wanted to be left alone.

Itachi dressed quickly and then grabbed Deidara by the collar dragging him out of the room.

"Don't ever do that again Deidara."

"Sorry Itachi. Um… was that Sakura being moody before? Yeah?" Deidara asked still being dragged but deciding it was best not to struggle.

"No. That was Sakura being moody with a migraine to top it off." Itachi answered.

"Oh… Then it's best not to talk to her today? Yeah?"

"Yep. Just leave her alone."

"O.K. yeah."

"Do you always have to say 'yeah' at the end of all your sentences?"

"No but it's just become a habit yeah."

"Right." Itachi then opened the door into the breakfast room and threw Deidara inside.

"Ow! Itachi!"

"Wow Deidara no 'yeah' at the end of that sentence." Kisame said smiling. Deidara got up and brushed himself off before going over to sit next to Sasori.

"Where is Sakura, Itachi?" Sasori asked.

"She has a migraine so just leave her alone." Itachi informed all of them. Hidan and Zetsu weren't there. Itachi guessed they were asleep as their punishment for what they did yesterday was to clean the entire Akatsuki headquarters by themselves. And even though it was underground it was still a lot of ground to cover. They wouldn't have finished till a little bit past midnight. He'd just repeat it to them later. "Also try to keep the noise level down. As she's also moody from the pregnancy she will hurt anyone who makes her migraine worse."

"Remind me again Itachi when the baby's born." Leader said appearing out of nowhere.

"You have got to stop doing that leader-sama, yeah." Deidara said with a shiver.

"I'll stop sneaking up on you when you stop saying 'yeah' at the end of your sentences Deidara."

"Will everyone leave me alone about my 'yeah's yeah!"

"No." Said everyone except Itachi and Sasori in perfect unison.

"To answer your question Leader-sama, the baby is born in five months.

"Five fucking months of putting up with her."

"Watch you mouth Hidan." Itachi threatened him seeing that he wasn't asleep but looked like hell with heavy black bags under his eyes.

Hidan huffed but stayed silent. Everyone knew this was going to be a long five months.


	20. Connection with evil

Chapter Twenty

"_I CAN"T BELIEVE THIS!" screamed Orochimaru. "Itachi rejoined with the Akatsuki a month ago and I find out about it NOW!"_

"Please calm down Orochimaru-sama." Kabuta pleaded with him.

"I will not calm down till I find out why it took so long to inform me about this!" Orochimaru was still shouting.

"It took awhile to find out. You know how secretive the Akatsuki are. You used to be one of them."

"That's not the point! Also that Itachi's wife has joined makes them strong enough to finally get rid of me! And to top it off she's pregnant!"

"I'm sorry Orochimaru-sama. It won't happen again."

"Of course it won't happen again Kabuta! And you know why. Because now that the Akatsuki have a top ranking healer they won't hesitate to eliminate me!" Orochimaru turned away from Kabuta in frustration. "A whole fucking month." His spilt snake tongue darted out as he hissed. "Your lack to inform me earlier will cost us dearly Kabuta. We now to not have much time to invade Konoha. And if the Akatsuki find me then we won't ever get that chance. And we can't keep moving." Orochimaru was now talking to himself rather than to Kabuta.

Orochimaru walked over to the other side of the room and looked out of the window at his warriors training. All ninja's of the sound village. All ready to take on Konoha.

Kabuta could tell that Orochimaru was thinking about his next move.

"All right. Next week we attack. Oh and Sakura..." Orochimaru said turning around.

"... It's time to wake UP!"

"Ahhhh!" Sakura woke with a start sweat dripping down her face and covering her body.

"Sakura! What's wrong?" Itachi had woken up and not long after the whole Akatsuki had filled the room.

Sakura clutched her head and rocked back and forth as Itachi tried to calm her down. She couldn't stop shaking and tears rolled sown her cheeks.

Deidara stepped forward and took hold of Sakura's hands forcing them away from her ears so she could hear him.

"Sakura-chan, look at me." He forced himself not to say yeah at the end of his sentences. "Sakura-chan, tell us what's wrong. What happened?"

Sakura tried to speak but she started to cough uncontrollably. Deidara pulled her into a hug and whispered in her ear;

"Breathe Sakura-chan. Just breathe. Take your time."

Sakura took a few grasping breaths then eventually got her breathing back under control. Itachi stared on marvelling at how Deidara was handling this.

"Orochi... Orochimaru..." Sakura said weakly but everyone heard her.

"What..." Leader said under his breath.

"What about him Sakura-chan? What about Orochimaru?" Deidara asked.

"He... he and I... we have... some sort of connection. I saw... him... in my dream." She took a few deep breaths again and then pulled back from Deidara to look at him in the eyes. Well eye. "Deidara-san... He plans to attack Konoha in a week."

"Shit." Leader and Itachi said. Deidara kept looking at Sakura.

"What do you mean you have a connection?"

"He talked to me... in my dream. It was... it was like I was there. I know where he is and he knows that Itachi and I... have joined the Akatsuki. He furious Deidara. And he's scared. I felt like... like I was part of him. I could feel what he was feeling. And I knew what he was thinking. It wasn't just a dream Deidara. It was real. Next week he invades Konoha. Konoha can't stand another attack from him. Not after the last one. We need to do something."

"And we will Sakura-chan." Leader said stepping up to the bed. "We'll get to Orochimaru before he attacks Konoha. I promise."

Itachi and Sakura as well as everyone else looked at Leader. He never made promises. So why now.

Kisame, Sasori, Hidan, Zetsu, and Tobi left the room and Leader, Deidara, and Itachi eventually got Sakura to go back to sleep. They then went out to talk to the others. They met up with them in the kitchen.

"You never make promises Leader-sama."

"I know Kisame. But I can't have a hysterical pregnant woman sending herself into premature labor, now can I?"

"No I guess not."

"And this would be the perfect time to kill Orochimaru. If Sakura-chan is right and Orochimaru is scared, then he's also vulnerable. So we'll attack him before he attack's Konoha. We may be exiles but we won't have Orochimaru take over anything."

"Thank you Leader-sama." Itachi said.

"Now we just have to come up with a plan to kill him before a week's time."

"This isn't the first time this has happened." Itachi said after a pause.

"What?"

"That Sakura's had a dream about him. It's just that he's never actually talk to her."

"I see." Leader said rubbing his chin. "I guess the connection has grown stronger and that if we don't get rid of Orochimaru soon… your wife will have a strong enough connection with Orochimaru, that if we kill him, she'll die too. Though that is only a guess."

"Then we need to act swiftly."

"Doesn't matter, yeah."

"What do you mean Deidara?" Leader asked.

"I've seen something like this before, yeah. She'll die no matter what we do. Even if she and Orochimaru have a small connection, they're still connected. If she dies, he dies. If he dies, she dies. It's a…"

"Mind and heart connection." Sasori finished.

"Yeah."

"We can't let her die." Itachi snapped.

"And we won't Itachi. We'll find some way." Leader said looking at Itachi. "Deidara," Deidara look up at him. "Is there any chance that because Sakura-chan is pregnant that it could affect the connection?"

"Unlikely, but it's possible. Why, yeah?"

"It's just maybe she can break the connection."

_"Why do you come back Sakura-chan?"_

I need to know something

"So you're not scared this time?"

I'm petrified. But I need to ask you something

"Ask away."

Did you create a connection between us that day?

"Not on purpose no."

Then why are you in my dreams?

"I'm not in your dreams Sakura-chan. You're projecting an image in my reality. But you see it though a dream"

How?

"With your inner self. When you sleep you project an image of yourself. The connection has grown stronger over the years. Only recently have I been able to sense you."

Why?

"Because when I tried to kill you and you didn't die but over threw me with your inner self, you created a connection, and because I tried to withstand it, it made it stronger."

I would never create a connection with you Orochimaru!

"Then why are you here?"

... Good point. Oh my god, did I just agree with you?

"You may not like it Sakura-chan. But as long as one of us is alive, we can visit each other in our dreams. One of us can be awake but then only we can see each other's projection. I want to end this Sakura-chan."

You and me both

"Are you willing to meet me alone?"

Of all the things I am Orochimaru I'm not suicidal

"Of course you're not. But it wouldn't matter. If one of use dies the other does. We're connected not only in mid but also in the heart. That's how we can feel what the other feels and know what the other thinks."

So you do plan to attack Konoha tomorrow. They why did you say in a week's time?

"To throw you off the scent. Plus you and the Akatsuki won't be able to stop me within seven hours. Especially since you're pregnant."

Watch me

Sakura woke with a start. She quickly got out of bed and sensed where everyone was. She got dressed and made her way to the kitchen.

"Itachi!" Sakura cried as she burst though the door.

"What is it?" Sakura noticed that everyone had a sombre look on their faces.

"What's going on?" She asked, looking at each one of them in turn.

Deidara looked at her and she guessed what it was about.

"You know how strong the connection is don't you."

All of them nodded. And to their amazement Sakura started to laugh.

"You know Sakura-san, somehow I don't think this is a laughing matter." Tobi had finally said his first understandable relevant sentence. Sakura stopped laughing immediately and everyone turned to stare at him. Then all of them sighed when Tobi said "Tobi is a good boy."

"O.K… Anyway getting back to my connection trouble, I know how we can get around it."

"How?" All of them asked in unison.

"Orochimaru thinks we have a stronger connection then it actually is. You see it was my family that found out about this type of thing. That's why everyone in my family has an inner self." Sakura sat down knowing this was going to be a long explanation. "Sure not everyone in my family were ninja's, in fact very few were. The people in my family that did find out about the mind and heart connection were scientists. Very good ones too." Everyone in the room were looking at her intently, even Hidan and Zetsu. "They also managed to figure out a way to sever the connection. Orochimaru thinks we have a stronger connection because I'm projecting into his reality, but he can't project into mine, because he doesn't have an inner self. That's also why I can read his mind but he can't read mine. All he reads is unimportant thoughts like fashion or make up. But nothing about plans, secrets, or memories. He also thinks that I'll die when he dies because of the connection. But my inner self is like a second person. Because of that it's like I have two hearts and minds. Or at least a larger part of my heart and mind are locked inside my inner. While his is very much unprotected and completely out in the open. If we kill him, all I'll lose is desires for foods, and thoughts about looking fashionable even if it's impracticable." Sakura smiled at all the times she'd had to fight in a formal dress because of a surprise attack. "But I won't lose my life source, charka, or any memories about my life. So you see, I won't die because the only thing connected between Orochimaru and me is our outer selves. So all I really need to do is connect my body with my inner self. Which isn't really all that hard." Sakura looked up from her hands and looked at Itachi. She could see the relief in his eyes. Then she turned her gaze to Leader. "But if we want to kill him, we have to move quickly. His moved his plans forward. He attacks in seven hours. He's still in the sound village up he's on the move. He'll be in Konoha in just under six hours. And with me I can't move that quickly."

"We'll carry you Sakura-chan. In turns mind you. You are heavier than you were before." Leader said looking at her stomach. Her Akatsuki cloak didn't button up anymore.

"Geez thanks Leader-sama."

"Or we could just get one of my puppets to carry her." Sasori suggested.

"Sakura?"

Sakura looked warily at Sasori. She didn't quite trust him. But she decided that if a puppet carried her then they wouldn't have to stop. "Fine. But if you drop me I'll rip off your puppet arms."

"Whatever." Sasori said looking away to hide the fear in his eyes. He knew she wasn't making an empty threat.

"This is going to be a long night." Kisame said as they made their way to the entrance of the cave ready to head off. Sasori's puppet pick Sakura up in piggy back style and the Akatsuki ran off into the night. It was still eight hours before the sun rose. They had four hours in which to find Orochimaru. And then two hours in which to kill him. Sakura in the mean time tried to go back to sleep so she could locate Orochimaru. It didn't take her long.

_"Back again Sakura-chan."_

Not for long

"Hope not I'm rather getting tired of you."

Feelings mutual

"I rather hoped it was. So why are you back?"

To let you know that your attack won't work

"Yes it will. Sakura you let your mind be too easily read. You won't ever catch up with me. I'm nearly there."

Whatever

"Say goodbye Sakura-chan, to Konoha."

Sakura woke and told Leader where Orochimaru was and where he was heading.

"As we know he's heading towards Konoha. But he's coming from the north. He's only about a league as the wolf runs in front of us. He has over one hundred sound ninja, but their weaker than he knows and they don't trust him that much. So they won't rush immediately to his rescue. Also he thinks we're still at headquarters. I feed him the wrong information."

"Good work Sakura-chan." Leader said jumping thought the trees. The Akatsuki stayed in one straight line. Staying at one pace. "We'll stay at least one league as the wolf runs behind him for about another hour. We can keep this pace for a long time as still have enough strength to take him out. We'll catch up soon, and move in front of them, hide our charka as much as possible, hide you, we really only need you to heal us if one of us get injured. We can't afford to lose anyone. Then we'll attack him, when he catches up. I would suggest you don't go back to sleep. And work on connecting your body with your inner self. We won't kill him till we know we won't lose you."

"Hai Leader-sama." Sakura focused her mind and engaged in a conversation with her inner self.

**You want to do WHAT!?**

_I want you to take care of my body_

**But why?**

_You know why inner. I'm about to die and you have to become the outer_

**I don't want to!**

_You have to_

**Why?**

_For our baby and for Itachi_

**Can't we find another way?**

_Don't cry inner please_

**Your crying too sniff**

_sniff I know embraces inner_

**There has to be another way**

_If there is we don't have the time to find out what it is_

**Come on Sakura think about it. There has to be another way that losing part of us.**

_… There's always…_

**No Sakura!**

_That's' the only other way_

**I don't care! We can't merge with the earth. Orochimaru already does that. That would just strengthen the connection**

_… Well we could try and merge with water_

**… That's a thought, but then... we'd need Kisame's help**

"Kisame!"

"Hai?"

"I need to ask you something."

Leader and Kisame switched places in the line.

"I need your help. You use water in your jitsu's don't you?" Sakura asked.

"Hai."

"My inner and I don't want to part so we were wondering if you could help us modify our earth merging technique so we merge with water instead."

"Why?" Kisame asked wondering where this was going.

"The only other way I won't die is if I merge with earth, but because Orochimaru can merge with the earth that would just strengthen out connection. So we think that if we merge with a different element that maybe we can protect ourself there. If we merge we go into hibernation and though we still have control over ourself we can shut our body away from any damage or connections. It was the fall back plan that my family discovered." Sakura said looking at him.

"I'll see what I can do."

"All we need you to do is make a charka puddle for us. We can do the rest."

"That I can do." Kisame said. "How much charka?"

"Not much. Very little in fact. Just enough to make a puddle slightly bigger than my body in height and width." Sakura answered.

"Alright. Sure."

"Thank you."

_There you go inner_

**YAY!**


	21. The final battle

Chapter Twenty-one

"There you go Sakura." Kisame said his charka filled puddle ready for Sakura to merge with.

"Thank you again Kisame."

"Do you know what you doing Sakura?" Itachi asked holding her hand.

"Yes." Sakura said giving his hand a slight squeeze.

They had past Orochimaru about half an hour ago. He would soon be there.

"Remember I can still heal you while I'm merged with this pool, but when you kill Orochimaru, I'll have to full merge and it will take at least and hour before I can… demerge, with it. So try not to get to badly injured. And please do kill him. The trap is set. He thinks we're nowhere near here." Sakura said looking at each man in turn. "Also remember Leader-sama that if you kill him Itachi and I can go back to Konoha."

"I remember Sakura-chan. But you remember that you and Itachi will still be members of the Akatsuki."

"We'll remember Leader-sama." Itachi said. "And we won't betray you."

"Good. Normally I would say 'or you'll die by the eyes of an Uchiha' but seeing as you're both Uchiha's I guess I have to be more specific about which Uchiha. Though that still creates a problem with you Itachi."

The men started to laugh but Sakura held up her hand. "He's coming."

"It's time."

Sakura stepping into Kisame's puddle and started to merge with it as the men speed off to their positions. Itachi stayed behind. Sakura was only merged up to her hips when she stopped. Itachi bent down and gave her a quick kiss and a hug. They whispered goodbye and as Sakura finished merging Itachi went to his position. Waiting for Orochimaru. He didn't have to wait long.

Orochimaru and he men walked into the glade, deciding it was as good a place as any to take a rest. He was very surprised when some of his sound ninja dropped dead.

"What the!?"

"UCHIHA!" One of his men screamed.

"Akatsuki." He hissed under his breath. Suddenly kunai and shuriken came out from nowhere that Orochimaru could trace and killed more of his men. Kabuta and a few of his more trusted men stepped in front of him. "Baka's, it's no use. You can't stop the Akatsuki. Not anymore." Orochimaru sensed a kunai heading towards him and he quickly dodged it. If made him feel better to know that Sakura would die along with him but the fact that she had feed him a lie made him a bit uneasy. "Damn it."

As Orochimaru landed in a tree he turned to see all of the one hundred men he had were either dead or dying. Nothing could be done about that. Not that Orochimaru cared much for their lives. They were just prawns to him on a big chess broad. He'd get more men. If he survived that was. And he had every intention of surviving.

"Kabuta! Pull back!" He called out.

"Oh no you don't." Hidan came up behind Orochimaru and kicked him squarely in the back just as Itachi had done to him a month ago. Kisame appeared below Orochimaru with his sword uncovered, its spikes ready to tear into Orochimaru's skin.

Kabuta flashed past Kisame and pushed Orochimaru out of the way. Orochimaru landed on the ground and watched as Kabuta came into contact with Kisame's sword. Kisame swung his sword around and smashed Kabuta up against at tree killing him instantly. Leader sent his lighting dragon at Orochimaru.

Orochimaru jumped out of the way. He was alone now. He had to fend for himself. His four most trusted ninja's were being tortured by Itachi's tsukuyomi. Orochimaru suddenly knew something was wrong. It Itachi was willing to kill him then they must have found a way to protect Sakura. Orochimaru could feel her somewhere around here. He just had to find her. But he knew he didn't have time to try. The Akatsuki was closing in on him. A kunai that Zetsu had thrown hidden by one of Deidara's bombs exploded and embedded in Orochimaru's arm. He started to feel his charka ebb. "Damn it. A charka stealing kunai." In reaction he threw a handful of kunai and shuriken at them.

He tried to keep away from them as much as possible dodging jitsu's and attacks from Sasori's puppets and kunai and shuriken. But even after he had pulled the charka stealing kunai from his arm his charka continued to dissipate. He fell to the ground weakened knowing that this was the end of him. 'Well at least I'll take Sakura down with me. Maybe.'

Sakura suddenly felt the ebbing life of Orochimaru and merged fully with the water. She had mixed some of her charka with it so it was easier to merge with and then it wouldn't take as long to demerge with. As she merged she felt very familiar charka close by. One she had chased after for so long. The last word that came from her lips before she merged fully was "Sasuke-kun… please hurry." As her head went under the water she went into hibernation.

Itachi finished off the four ninja he was torturing and turned to Orochimaru. He was about to advance when he saw a familiar charka with his Mangekyō sharingan. And for once he was thankful to feel and see that charka. He couldn't remember a time when he had been so thankful for his brother to be near.

"Sasuke." He whispered. "Why are you here? And what will you say when you find out the truth?"

Orochimaru wondered why Itachi was hesitating. He soon found out. He felt a sudden pain in his back. And the pain grew.

"CHIDORI!" Sasuke screamed as his chidori ripped through Orochimaru's chest, leaving a hole just inches away from his heart. But it was still fatal.

The Akatsuki all stood frozen wondering how Sasuke came to be here. "Of course he takes midnight walks." Itachi said under his breath.

"That's for wasting three years of my life." Sasuke spat at Orochimaru.

Orochimaru was gasping for air as he fell to the ground. He was dead when his face buried into the dirt.

"What…?" Sasuke felt like he was going to be sick. "You're both Akatsuki member's?"

"Yes." Sakura answered.

"… I need to sit down."

Itachi led him over to a fallen branch. The rest of the Akatsuki looked on hoping this wouldn't amount to anything troublesome. Sakura walked over to the Uchiha brothers and knelt down taking Sasuke's hands in hers.

"I'm sorry Sasuke-kun but this was the only way we could see of finally getting rid of Orochimaru. Please you have to understand. It was a difficult choice to make. We don't want to make trouble Sasuke-kun."

"You're sorry!? You betrayed Konoha!" Sasuke snapped at her.

"Sasuke-kun please. You betrayed the village once too remember. And you were let back in. So was Itachi."

"Yes but your going to continue to betray the village."

"On the contrary Sasuke, we're not after Konoha or to kill the Kages. You could kinda say we're peace keepers." Leader said his voice calm. "Sure we're exiles but we still have some honour thank you very much. We do have out own missions but at least we try as much as possible for our missions not to include the killing of innocent people. The only times we have ever fought against Konoha or any other village was when they sent ANBU after us. All because we killed our family to get away from the constraints on us."

"That supposed to make it all right?" Sasuke spat at him.

"Sasuke please try to understand. This was the only way we could kill Orochimaru without Sakura dying as well." Itachi said, suddenly remembering that Sasuke didn't know about Sakura's and Orochimaru's connection. Sakura hit him on the arms picking up on his slip of the tongue.

"What?"

"Long story Sasuke-kun. But the short version is that the day we saved you from Orochimaru he and I created a connection of the mind and heart. The only way I could stay alive was if I merged with a charka filled water puddle. And no one in Konoha can manipulate water." Sasuke had to agree with Sakura on that. "And Kisame can. Of course this was all planned in the last five hours but now we're finally free of Orochimaru. So can't you just let go of the fact the Itachi and I are Akatsuki and be happy please? I know we're asking a lot of you. But for all we've done for you can't you do this small thing for us? Of course we can't inform Naruto. And you finding out was never planned. But honestly Sasuke. What have we done but get rid of Konoha's greatest fear. Konoha has nothing to fear from the Akatsuki."

Sasuke looked into Sakura's emerald eyes and sighed. His sharingan was still activated and he could see that she was telling the truth. He turned his sharingan off and said;

"Kakashi's getting married."

Sakura smiled and Itachi sighed. Sasuke wasn't going to turn them in. They knew that. The Akatsuki left the Uchiha's alone and headed back for headquarters. They had nothing to fear.

"That's wonderful Sasuke-kun. What's her name?"

"Hoshi. She's from the hidden village of lighting." Sasuke said staring at his sister-in-law.

"Why's she in Konoha?" Itachi asked looking at his younger brother.

"Apparently to protect Tusande from people from her village." Sasuke said now looking at his older brother.

"She tell you this?"

"No." Sasuke smiled as he told them; "I looked though her letters."

The three Uchiha's laughed and pulled eachother into an embrace. They were a family. And they belonged together.

Itachi kissed Sakura on the forehead and Sakura whispered in Sasuke's ear; "Thank you Sasuke-kun."

"Welcome Sakura-san. Nii-san?"

Itachi and Sakura both stared at Sasuke.

"You haven't called me that in years."

"I know. And I'm sorry. I should never have stopped calling you my brother."

"What is it?"

"Can we go home? Back to the Uchiha estate. After all it's still ours."

Itachi stared at his younger brother.

"Are you sure Sasuke-kun?" Sakura asked.

"Yes. We're family Sakura-san. And we're Uchiha's. I don't think our family would be to happy if the estate passed onto others."

"… Maybe your right Sasuke." Itachi said. "Sakura?"

"It's fine with me."

"Then let's move in as soon as possible."

They all smiled and walked back to Konoha.

Uchiha Sasuke had found the family he had never had and had always wanted.

Uchiha Itachi had found the family he had never had and had always wanted.

Uchiha Sakura had found a family that she could look after.

_I'll protect you both. And I know you'll both protect me. We'll protect eachother forever._

All three of them made that silent promise. All of them looked forward to the future.

Sakura placed a hand on her belly as she felt the baby kick for the first time. She made the two men stop so they could feel it too.

_We'll protect you too little one._


	22. Three years on

Chapter Twenty-two

"Aki! Haru! Lunch is ready! Go wash your hands!"

"Hai okā-chan!" the twins cried.

Sakura looked on at her four-year-old daughter and son for a moment before she shouted at the again. "Today thank you."

"Hai!" They raced off the bathroom and Sakura went in search of her husband and brother-in-law.

"I will never get used to how big this estate is." Sakura said to herself.

"Yes you will."

Sakura yelped as the two brothers popped up behind her. "Don't do that! God Itachi, you're as bad as the twins."

"Hm. I highly doubt that. So what did you say about lunch?"

"Go wash your hands first. You've been training."

Sasuke went after the twins to wash his hands for lunch.

Itachi walked up behind Sakura and rubbed her swollen stomach. "Think we'll have twins again."

"I hope not. It was painful enough getting them out." Itachi laughed against his wife's neck. "Kakashi and Hoshi should be here soon so go and wash up will you?"

"Trying to get rid of me hm Sakura-chan?" Itachi murmured into her cheek.

"Always, Itachi-kun." Sakura teased. "Go on or will I have to force you."

"And how would you do that my cherry blossom?"

"SASUKE! DON'T YOU DARE TOUCH THAT CAKE!" Sakura screamed into the kitchen turning her head away from Itachi.

"How do you always know?" Came Sasuke's reply.

Itachi laughed and pulled Sakura's face around and kissed her pouring his love for her onto her lips. When he pulled back her face was flustered and Itachi pulled her into a strong embrace with warmth and safety in his arms.

"O.K. That's it!" Sakura pulled herself from Itachi embrace and made her way to the kitchen. "If I find one finger print on my cake I will… GET BACK HERE SASUKE!"

Itachi could help but burst out laughing as Sasuke ran out of the kitchen as a frying pan just missed his head. The twins ran after him thinking it was some kind of game.

"HELP! MOODY MOTHER ON RAMPAGE! Hey maybe I should write a newspaper article. That would make a great headline." Sasuke stopped in his tracks. Not a wise move. As not a moment after a sauce pan collided with his head. "OW!"

"THAT'S FOR EATING MY CAKE BAKA!" Sakura shouted storming out of the kitchen. Her kimono flew around her ankles as she made her way towards him with angry strides, her hair pinned on top of her head in a bun had already begun to become loose and strands of pink hair framed her face. Another sauce pan was in her hands.

Sasuke was saved from anymore pain as the door bell rang.

"Oh my god their actually on time. Oh right Hoshi has abolished Kakashi's late appearances. Itachi go and wash up. Aki, Haru, Sasuke come with me."

Itachi went and washed his hand and quickly changed into some clean clothes. When he came out Kakashi and Hoshi were already seated in the dining room. Aki and Haru were seated opposite them with Sasuke at one end of the table with his wife Temari. Sakura went over to the fridge and pulled put a spare cake. Itachi smirked. She always did that so he didn't really quite understand why she got so angry when Sasuke ate some of her first cake. She always had a spare one just in case. Itachi sat at the head of the table and Sakura placed herself, with Itachi's help, gracefully next to him.

Itachi and Sakura had been married for four years now and they were celebrating their anniversary along with Kakashi's and Hoshi's three year anniversary and Sasuke's and Temari's one year anniversary. Sakura was eight months pregnant. Hoshi was six months pregnant. Temari was four months pregnant. All three women spend a lot of time together, mostly so Hoshi and Temari could get advice from the only other woman they knew who had been pregnant about being a mother. This also led the three men to get together a lot so Kakashi and Sasuke could find out how to be a father.

Naruto and Hinata had married two months ago. Shikamaru and Ino four months before that. Rock Lee and Gaara of the sand had gotten together finally getting over the gender boundaries and everyone was happy for them. Neji and Tenten mad married at the same time as Shikamaru and Ino at a double wedding.

Later that night when Sasuke and Temari had gone to bed and Sakura had gotten the twins into bed, she made her way to the balcony off her's and Itachi's room, to watch the sunset with her husband. For four years the Akatsuki hadn't called on them for anything.

"Think they'll ever call on us?" Sakura said sliding her hands up Itachi's broad back and over his shoulders hugging him. Itachi knew who she was talking about.

"They won't ever. I just got this letter from Deidara." Itachi help up a note to show her. "They've found another healer and someone else from the hidden village of snow. Deidara says that leader has released us from our pledge. We're no longer members of the Akatsuki. But they said they will still protect us since we helped with Orochimaru." Itachi pulled Sakura next to him his arm around her shoulders. Her arm around his waist her other hand placed on her stomach. "We can live out our lives together with nothing to fear anymore."

Sakura now twenty-five and Itachi now thirty-two looked out onto the small lake on the Uchiha estate as the sun reflected of it casting red golden ripples of light across the grass.

"Think Temari will have twins or Hoshi?" Itachi asked.

"Maybe, but I hope Temari won't. We already have to deal with our twins." The Uchiha couple laughed and Sakura rested her head on her husband's shoulder and Itachi rested his on his wife's head.

"I hope we have twins again."

"Why?" Sakura asked

"Because think of all the fun we had with Aki and Haru."

Sakura smiled as she also remembered the sleepless nights. But she also remembered the times when Itachi had tried to feed them and they had knocked the bowl out of his hands covering him in baby food. Sakura had to run for her life when she had burst out laughing.

"Yes. It would be nice if we had twins again. But I really would rather not."

Itachi laughed and cupped Sakura's head pulling her closer to him. "Well we just have to wait another month."

"Yes."

Itachi and Sakura looked out across the Uchiha estate and they both knew that from now on life would be good. And as the sun slipped behind the hills and the sky took on a blood red colour, which blended with a dark blue sky and a full moon rose high in the sky with the stars sparkling like candles, Itachi and Sakura remembered all the silent promises they had made to protect one another. Instinctively they pulled eachother closer to eachother and sighed as they watch the last rays of light disappear from the sky.


End file.
